Wanted: Pet Quality Lavender Silkies

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Pet Quality usually means that they have a disqualification of some sort. 4 toes, 6 toes, minimal leg feathering, loose wings, small/no tail, small/no crest, overall lacking in 'type.' To some people who are serious about breeding, these can all be overcome with strategic breeding. Because quality lavender Silkies are scarce at the present time, "PQ" lavender Silkies that come from a breeder are usually snatched up in a hurry, and for a good price. Breeders who seriously want to work with the variety, will use these birds and work hard to overcome their DQ's or areas where the birds are lacking.

And just for reference, the term "Pet Quality" is just as fickle as the term "Show Quality." Either of these terms can mean one thing to one person, and a completely different thing to another.

For example, I know a breeder who will 'cull' a bird or otherwise deam it "Pet Quality" because the eye color of the said bird is one shade too light. Now this bird can have extremely good type, and not lack in any other areas, but because the eyes were too light the breeder didn't want it in their breeding program. However, to someone else that bird could be called a "Show Quality" bird, and could very well go one to win at shows. If the bird has extremely good type and is only lacking in eye color, only a few points would be deducted by a judge who actually KNOWS the standard. Therefore it is possible that a 'Pet Quality' bird to one breeder, may be a 'Show Quality' bird to another. It is completely all very circumstancial and relative to the bird in question.

Clear as mud?
 
clear as mud? haha--yes much clearer -thank you... Now Im going down to my big brooder and look closer at my guys...they all have 5 toes-not alot of feathering on legs and feet-yet. Black skin...They are only 12 weeks old but have huge wattles (purple-pink) and big black combs already-so I guess I'm lucky to have them since they are so scarce? Thank you for answering Chris..I am always looking for you when it comes to answering anything about silkies!
 
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Perfect example. I would classify those as "Pet Quality" because they are probably non-bearded (hence the wattles). However, to someone who may want to breed the non-bearded variety, they could use them to introduce the color, by breeding them over black birds to improve type.
 
absolutely no beards!! bummer! --you tried to sex them for me a while back but they were too young... Now I just need to figure out what to do with 3 boys! Im keeping them but I want to figure out a mate for them once separated out... suggestions?
 
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Sell em, keep em, or breed em.... LOL

ETA: Put them with the absolute best black hens you can afford to buy... breed... cull... breed.... cull... breed... cull....
 
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