A bit back I wrote about my 4 'local feed store' girls were killed by what may have been a raccoon per method of kill. I replaced them with 3 Silkeys I found locally of the same age. I wrote that the Silkeys were beauty Queens, pretty but not much energy or personality. The Silkeys are coming along and free-ranging, but it seems that they are a calmer and quieter breed than whatever the old ones were. I just cannot see the silkeys ever running all over the place from feeding area to feeding area. The new ones are quieter, slower but pretty. They are filling out rapidly under my excessive care. -----My point is only from my new-guy perspective is there are major breed differences, or so I believe.-- -Today I was doing rebuild 3 on the coop, and what had been a predator at first on the first bunch, that being one of my Japanise Chin's, had become friends with the old bunch with time and training. She took to the Silkeys right away. I always felt that she just wanted to chase them, but making a chicken a chew toy was her goal, not mine. Today after almost being one with this new batch since they came, and some really cute pictures of chickens and dog together suddenly she took after the black Silkey. It was quite a suprise. Chins are unlikely to be able to harm much bigger than a bug, but maybe she tried. I guess I have to supervise a bit more till the silkeys get a bit bigger. (Chin's are around 10 lbs). My other Chin is afraid of chickens and about everything else. Maybe there is a pecking order thing going on, as this was my lead dog after my meaner chicken. Soon size will be close. ---The origional coop was made of 2x4 and furring strips and old pallets. It is semi-rural here and I would not have the only salvage material coop in the hood, and the chicken tractor stays mostly in my back yard, but at the lumber yard today it hit me. Vinyl siding is something like $6.50 for a 20 foot chunk. So now my ugly coop has siding making to almost match the house, in color and almost style. -I assume that ugly sheds is one of the reasons that chickens are often banned. I think alot of coops could be made to match there house attachments cheep. I will try to post before and after pictures soon. -I have just got word that we are going to rescue some homeless Easter Eggers. The only problem is the will have to be transported (with my wife) by car from MN to N.C. I assume that with water and food they should transport well in a dog cage. I guess a temporary isolation pen is in order till there health is known. --Is there a way to de-crow a rooster? I had hens, but the silkeys are not for shure yet. The biggest, tamest, and cutest Silkey is getting a louder deeper voice. I would hate to wake to crowing at dawn, especially as we usually get to bed close to dawn here on the farm. Best Wishes, Paul
