03/15/2026
This! Still learning here!!! Not from AI but from experienced show breeders! My lines are improving with each hatch!!!
Alright…. I can’t keep quiet on this. If you don’t care about hot takes, hard truths or unpopular opinions.. scroll on. 🤍
But… Please for the luvofgod .. can someone explain to me why on earth people who have been breeding birds for 5 minutes (literally less than a whole year) are trying to build a platform by teaching others about structure or genetics with gobs of bad examples and misinformation? Whyyyy???
It’s like the blind leading the blind out here in silkie land right now. And believe me, I’m speaking for many horrified breeders who have put the years in.
Seasoned knowledgeable breeders are tired and defeated from this new era of entitled, instant gratification, perfection seeking, social media, algorithm driven way of managing a breeding program.. because you know, for most of us, we sat criss cross applesauce on the carpet with our listening ears on for YEARS. Worked with culls we could afford and built what we have. (That is a whole other post .. but one tragedy at a time)..
There I said it. I said it because I care about the integrity of this VERY popular breed.
If you are new and actually trying to learn good information .. PLEASE seek out master breeders, judges and seasoned breeders (breeders with wins; and years in the hobby) for information and education they might share. Go to a show, talk to breeders of other breeds. Buy the books.
Also… if you are the guilty party out here with your cart before your horse…
You know how I know you aren’t ready to educate others??? Because the very example you post your regurgitated AI “education” with … the wings are jacked up, the back is long, the cushion is flat, vulture hocks making a sultan jellyfish .. and what the H E ‼️ is going on with the sudden rash of birds with missing feet feathers?? If you cannot see those things? That’s how I know.
Because breeding and evaluating animals is a magical thing where you “see it,” or you don’t. Once you “see it” you can’t unsee it. Some people never gain the skill. They can read it on paper but they cannot “see it.” It is an art and I hate to break it to you…Not everyone has the eye for it. Years. YEARS of experience can help most “see it”. YEARS of practice can train the eyes and things begin to come into focus.
I’m still learning. I’m still asking my peers everyday, what do you see here? Is this good? Bad? Ugly? My inbox everyday is my circle and I chatting and learning from one another. I do feel mostly confident in my abilities at this stage. But that took years, and taking birds to shows that won, that I bred, and having several other people affirm that I did in fact “see it” for me to feel comfortable to begin to educate others.
There is honor in doing things the right way. The old way.. the SLOW way.
Poultry breeding requires patience, humility and the ability to be a continual student of the bird.
