It can be both dominant and recessive and there is evidence that it is connected with many other combination of genes that must be present before it manifest as 'silky feathers'. Your correct that a silky feathered bird of any sort would not survive in the wild, certain birds that display abnormal colors usually don't survive in the wild either. In captivity when these abnormal traits appear special needs can be catered to--flightless finches. There are frizzle canaries and silky canaries in many colors--many pigeon breeders are successful breeding these traits in their flocks. So in captivity these aberrations are breed for by many breeders who are more knowledgeable than put two together breeders and get babies are. I have a line of Seramas that have soft feathers-they bend very easily and do not support flight. Haven't found any reliable information as to what gene causes this, but am still looking.

Hens seem to know when all the viable eggs have hatched, provided the hatch times are co-ordinated. Likely your silkie was just waiting for the one silkie egg to hatch before leaving the bad eggs behind. I incubated four Pilgrim goose eggs under one of my Speckled Sussex hens last year. Only one hatched, although there was another that was fully developed and dead inside the shell. The rest of this batch of eggs (about 16) were incubated by a pro in his best incubator... and not one hatched. It was so disappointing. You might be better off trying to find live goslings and raising them... and then next year they will produce the goslings for you. My two geese - last year's goslings - are raising seven of their own (mutts, unfortunately, since their late, unlamented papa was a mean Embdem cross) and two Pilgrims that I bought. I always prefer natural brooding of eggs if given a choice and I believe that young birds raised by their own species are usually better adjusted.

Well, you might very well be going through a caterpillar hatch! I believe that many of the inchworm and span worms behave this way. They could be hatching from your fruit tree and using their silken lines to take them elsewhere. If you see any more of those little green caterpillars, that would be a good bet.

Join the Club I have a 50 ft one on the right side fence and a 15ft one about 5ft from the left side fence and us in the middle have none . The neighbours seem to think that just because our blocks are 3/4 acres they can plant anything, they have got no idea. They might be a native but they should be banned unless you want to plant one in the middle of a few acres, here they are brittle and the branches as always falling, and when flowering everything is covered in orange and seedlings pop up everywhere months later like now as we are finally getting some rain. I dont know if their roots do any damage but in a small area I should imagine they would. The only good thing about them is they shed heaps of leaves here in the Spring which I use for mulch. Why anyone would want to plant a tree that grows to 100ft in the wild in suburbia is beyond me I do realise they don't get to that height though they get high enough. I would do something about it now before its too late. I still cannot work out why anyone would want to plant any tree that close to the house let alone close to two, seems they have nothing between the eyes mate. Try having a word with the Tenants or the owner if possible because if he know he may get sued for damages down the track I bet he will get it chopped down now...Cheers..MM.