What Makes A Show Quality Silkie? ADDED PICS

[racuda]

The 1910 Standard of Perfection called for a small crest on the female!

 

[bantam0907]

Weelll im doing showmanship this year at the state fair so this will be great practice!

Silkies were accepted into the ABA standard in 1874 and there are 7 accepted color varieties. White, Black, Buff, Splash, Partridge, Blue, Grey. Disqualifications include: incorrect comb (supposed to have a walnut comb), incomplete feathering down the outersides of the shanks, more or less then 5 toes, bright red face, combs or wattles, feathers not being truelly silkie and vulture hocks. (Vulture hocks is when the feathers on the hock have a notibly harder quill and point downward, these are accepted in such breeds as the sultans). The Crest is the feathers on the top of the head. Silkies are in the Featherlegged bantam class and are one of the few breeds that dont have a large fowl counterpart such as the barneveldores. What i look for in a silkie is a good full crest it should go down over their eyes and a full muff which is the feathers around the sides of the face like ear muffs, i also look for good booting which are the feathers down the leg, a silkie should have feathers all the way down the middle toe.
Also a good tip for anyone looking for a white show silkie should look for breeders who dont breed pure whites, i know it sounds crazy but there are a few breeders who breed silkies with a slight blue gene this acts as a natural blueing and virtually illeminates brassiness! (yellowing of the feathers)
I hope this has helped and if anyone has any other questions about the silkies feel free to ask and ill answer you the best i can!

Here are some of my show silkies.

Merle Haggard

Evan Lou

Izetta Belle

 

[bantam0907]

Quote:
I think it depends on the judge because some judges will dock off if they feel the bird cannot see but then again others will dock off for not having a large crest!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Also a good tip for anyone looking for a white show silkie should look for breeders who dont breed pure whites, i know it sounds crazy but there are a few breeders who breed silkies with a slight blue gene this acts as a natural blueing and virtually illeminates brassiness! (yellowing of the feathers)

It's the Silver Gene.​

 

[ginbart]

Here's a not so good pic of my roo. He won best of breed at the Bloomsburg Fair last year for my son in 4-H.

 

[jpenfield]

Where did you get these silkies? they are gorgeous

 

[jpenfield]

where did you get your silkies?

 

[jensiguanapad]

I'm wondering the same thing about prepping a Silkie for showing - I've been reading everything I can (our Fair isn't until August) to properly prepare my little (2mo) Blue Silkie. Now I'm curious as to the genetic factor vs the prep factor. Anyone out there with additional photos they could share of their shown Silkies? And how the judges rated said chickens? I'm a "virgin" show-woman, but I'm grateful for the photos displayed previously - they're beautiful.

Additionally, I'm struggling to prep my 5yo son (not in 4-H, yet) to "show" his chicken, "Peck". Besides knowing the parts of the bird, the origin, feeding and his care of the bird, are there other notes I should spend the next few months prepping his with so he's as prepared as can be for August?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jessivogel]

Okay. So I just got my very first silkies. And I'm a newbie here... I didn't realize there was a difference between feed store birds quality and the quality of breeders' birds. Anywho... These silkies came from the feed store- I've been doing research on what makes a show quality silkie. I know he's young... But are these good qualities so far?

He holds his wings horizontally- they don't slant downward.

Okay- to me, this looks like good spacing in his toes.

He has feathers all the way down his middle toe and the outside of his leg

And I was a little confused by the 5th toe placement.... It said above and longer that the 4th toe and that it should curl upward

So I guess what I'm asking... Are these good qualities? I know the other qualities won't be able to be determined until he gets older... Like the length of his back, his top knot/crest, and the amount of hard feathers, etc.

 

[jessivogel]

Okay. So I just got my very first silkies. And I'm a newbie here... I didn't realize there was a difference between feed store birds quality and the quality of breeders' birds. Anywho... These silkies came from the feed store- I've been doing research on what makes a show quality silkie. I know he's young... But are these good qualities so far?

He holds his wings horizontally- they don't slant downward.

Okay- to me, this looks like good spacing in his toes.

He has feathers all the way down his middle toe and the outside of his leg

And I was a little confused by the 5th toe placement.... It said above and longer that the 4th toe and that it should curl upward

So I guess what I'm asking... Are these good qualities? I know the other qualities won't be able to be determined until he gets older... Like the length of his back, his top knot/crest, and the amount of hard feathers, etc.

Anyone?