5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[Pozees]

Vaulted skulls are common in Silkies and nearly always bode well for beautiful crests. Some breeders breed for them exclusively, some believe it makes for a healthier flock long term to use some birds with non-vaulted skulls. It is a vulnerable point for sure. As far as guessing what color a chick will turn out, if you know the parentage I'd try contacting @Sonoran and see if she will help, or @Dragonlady. I am sure there are others, those happen to be the two I can think of right away who know TONS about Silkies and genetics.

To me there are few things as fun as watching Silkies grow up. They are adorable at every stage. If you like that sort of thing ...

 

[bantambury]

Question:

This is my striped silkie

I thought it would be like her father who is a black partirdge. But her wing feathers are coming in grey/white.

She is still a partridge right? And if so, what type?

I have a chick almost like yours.....a lighter chipmunk. not exactly partridge color.

here is my chick and her wing feathers:

im thinking she is a porcelain silkie! im hope im right!

im thinking wings are so far tanish?

 

[Pozees]

............

 

[bantambury]

Many Silkies will have vaulted skulls. It is kind of like a soft spot on a baby, and opening where the skull doesn't close fully. I believe having the vault will help with the crest size You definitely do not want to press on it, and they shouldn't be kept with older birds that might peck them very hard on the head, even as adults. Im sure your chick is fine as long as you didn't apply too much pressure. You sound like my daughter, every time she holds them she says mom I think I bumped her head will she be ok. You have to be very gentle but don't fret over every bump.

Your chick does look like it could be a porcelain

These were my 2 Silkies I had last year, both with vaulted skulls
porcelain roo w/ vaulted skull 1week old

splash roo w/ vaulted skull 1week old


same porcelain roo 6months old

same splash roo 6months old

Oh and my Porcelains name was Prim, maybe it might suit your chick also

AWESOME! thanks! you answered EVERYTHING!

I may just name her Prim!

 

[chicken pickin]

Question:

This is my striped silkie

I thought it would be like her father who is a black partirdge. But her wing feathers are coming in grey/white.

She is still a partridge right? And if so, what type?

My guess would be either that one of your breeder Silkies are not a pure color. Meaning that at some point maybe another color could have been introduced. Or your 2 breeders are different colors producing odd color chicks. I saw your pic of your roo, im not sure that is partridge or another color. What color is your hen? Can you post a pic of both hen and roo?

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

for who had bought TRADER JOE eggs or WHOLE FOOD eggs and hatched them:

All of the birds from my flock are all mareks and one other thing.....I forgot.
I want to bring in other birds from other flocks....my breeder says not to because those birds may not be protected from those things like mine, causing mine to be infected........


these store bought eggs....do you think the birds are protected from those diseases?

Mareks protection is by being vaccinated - you have to give the chick a shot. You can purchase the vaccine and do it yourself, however, unless you're hatching a hundred at a time, it's not very cost effective. Your new hatchlings are not immune to Mareks - yet. Your breeder may be able to do it for you at a reasonable cost.

 

[carriebain]

for who had bought TRADER JOE eggs or WHOLE FOOD eggs and hatched them:

All of the birds from my flock are all mareks and one other thing.....I forgot.
I want to bring in other birds from other flocks....my breeder says not to because those birds may not be protected from those things like mine, causing mine to be infected........


these store bought eggs....do you think the birds are protected from those diseases?

Great question!

 

[Pozees]

for who had bought TRADER JOE eggs or WHOLE FOOD eggs and hatched them:

All of the birds from my flock are all mareks and one other thing.....I forgot.
I want to bring in other birds from other flocks....my breeder says not to because those birds may not be protected from those things like mine, causing mine to be infected........


these store bought eggs....do you think the birds are protected from those diseases?

What do you mean by all Marek's? Vaccinated? If so, the issue you can have is that vaccinated birds shed the virus so it isn't your birds that would be vulnerable it is the new birds. Marek's is present in the environment everywhere. A paper published by the University of New Hampshire stated that if you have adult birds, they have been exposed to Marek's. I have a couple of birds here that are vaccinated but have opted not to vaccinate new chicks. I want a flock that thrives in the environment I have, that is resistant to this and other diseases present here and/or probably everywhere. Long term thinking. I know others take a different approach, this is the one I have adopted.

 

[msladyhawke]

This one would be so cool to have. I caught a bob cat last year around this time of year and would have LOVED to have that nice of pictures. =)

What!!! Oh my gosh, a bobcat?! I would have had a heart attack. We've seen fox, coyote, raccoon, skunk, and feral cats but that's the extent of it.

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

What do you mean by all Marek's? Vaccinated? If so, the issue you can have is that vaccinated birds shed the virus so it isn't your birds that would be vulnerable it is the new birds. Marek's is present in the environment everywhere. A paper published by the University of New Hampshire stated that if you have adult birds, they have been exposed to Marek's. I have a couple of birds here that are vaccinated but have opted not to vaccinate new chicks. I want a flock that thrives in the environment I have, that is resistant to this and other diseases present here and/or probably everywhere. Long term thinking. I know others take a different approach, this is the one I have adopted.

Excellent point. We've been phasing out vaccines on the farm over the last three years - it's scary, but that's probably because we've been taught to be afraid, LOL.