Silkies

[cozycritters]

Hopefully this is posted in the proper place.

I have hatched out silkies three times. Once white, once BBS, and this last time Lavender... here's my question.

Is it normal for the Lavender silkies to be of lesser quality because they are rarer? One of my chicks doesn't even have the extra toes? Only one of the Lavenders seems to have the topknot and, though the colors are interesting, they just aren't as nice as my blue ones. Is this a color thing or a breed thing?

Thanks!

 

[Bat Cave Silkies]

You may get more replies if you post this in the "Self-Blue (Lavender) Silkie" thread.
I breed & raise Lavender Silkies and the chicks are of the same quality as the parents birds--correct # of toes, correct foot feathering, correct skin color, etc. The chicks quality depends upon the quality of the parent birds

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
x2

Also, until the bird grows, you wll noty know how much crest a non-vaulted skull bird will have. Many have just as large of crests as ones with large vaults. If you look at the parent birds, think of averaging the crests between the mother and father, and in general, expect that. However, if both parents have only one copy of the gene for a crest, some offspring could end up wihout the gene at all.

 

[cozycritters]

I hatched mine from someone else's flock, so I don't have the parents to judge

 

[muddyhorse]

even two birds with five toes can throw the occasional four toed bird. many breeders will tell you out of 100 chicks you might only get 10 that go on to show if you are lucky. I would not use the 4 toed baby for breeding.