Best hatchery to get show Silkies?

[Chickengal505]

I really want to start showing Silkies, but I need a reasonable hatchery with down to earth prices

 

[rilly10]

I would look for a breeder if you want show quality. For $5-$10 more you could get some really nice chicks that would have a much better shot of turning out to be show worthy.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Quote:
X2. You're not going to get any show worthy Silkies from a hatchery.

Best invest some money in purchasing a few nice adults from a reputable breeder. Chicks and eggs are okay also but it's easier to tell the quality of a mature adult than a chick that's still growing or an egg that may not hatch.

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

I agree with both previous posts.

You will not get birds that meet standards for show from a hatchery.

I have silkies, and I have 2 hatchery stock silkie hens for broodies

They look completely different than my show birds.

A breeder is the best route to go for show quality birds



If a hatchery does have exceptional stock as far as silkies go, I have yet to hear of it

 

[Oregon Blues]

The silkies I've seen from hatcheries are the worst of anything they sell.

If you have limited funds, buy good chicks from a breeder and just buy fewer of them. If you have $50 to spend, instead of buying 10 hatchery chicks, buy 4 good chicks from a breeder.

Once you have a couple of pairs of quality Silkies, you can increase your flock quickly. There are several really good Silky breeders here on BYC.

 

[Elite Silkies]

I agree, I do not think you could get a show quality silkie from any hatchery. You have a much better chance by purchasing a teenager or nearing breeding age. I think the norm is 1 to 5 at the max show quality offspring for every 100 silkie chicks that are hatched. You need to remember, just because you buy chicks from show quality flocks, that does not mean that you will get show quality offspring.

I would invest in a very nice pair to start, and then build up your flock. You will have a lot of culls breeding silkies.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

As an alternative to a young pair, you can get older, proven breeders.

 

[Elite Silkies]

If you get an older proven breeding pair, I think a good age would be around 1.5 years and under. Some say they can lay up until they are 4 years old. I do have 2 older girls that are still laying and one is nearing 4 years old and the other is going on 3.

As much as silkies stay broody they may lay many more years, I know mine stay broody more often than they lay

 

[reereechickens]

Quote:
I honestly don't think the hatchery or Craigslist Silkies are that cheap!

My experience or hindsight: I got 4 Silkies from an ad in the NC Ag Review for $20. Well I had 2 drive 1.5 hrs feed 3 DS and myself and my Silkies had red mites. So I had to buy Ivermectin, spray for their quaratine coop more pine shaving and Sevin dust! These Silkies were flighty and NEVER let me pick them up without force. I got rid of 3 and still have 1 and she still is hard to catch. Looks wise only 1 was fluffy out of 3 and to be honest they were downright ugly and the 1 I have now I will not hatch her eggs, I will use her for a broody.

My next try was with CL and these were ok but much fluffier and friendly. I still don't know their sex yet.

Lastly I got 2 awesome Silkies from a REAL breeder and the quality is unreal! They are much softer, fluffier, and very friendly! I paid $12 for the CL and $10 from the breeder!

I don't think I will breed my CL Silkies with my breeder Silkies b/c you don't breed down in quality. BTW my CL Silkie has 4 toes so that is DQ right there.

IMO I would save my $$ and get the REAL thing. I used to cringe at the cost of shipping chicks from some breeders or the cost of eggs but to actually see the difference, I would not mess with the lower quality. Also make sure you know the difference from PQ and SQ. I think there is a NC/SC Chickenstock/ Swap in Aug. I don't know if that is close to you or not. Silkies take the patience of a Saint!!

 

[Elite Silkies]

I would say that most of the CL silkies are the breeders culls. I usually sell or give away my culls on CL, but also tell them that they are culls and will never be show quality. You have to know what your looking for if the breeder doesn't offer any help.