Debbie's Silkies

[TwoCrows]

I wasn't sure if I should post this in the Odoban Hatchalong as these chicks are the products of that. I guess I could just post the link to this there.

The 10 now 9 weeks old chicks have been living out in the aviary for a couple of weeks. I've been opening the door every morning so they could come out but they didn't go far as it's been so cold.

Today they sure came out and went down the hill into the woods a little ways. One found a huge nightcrawler and went running with it. That was funny!

It's weird seeing the babies acting so grown up just like that!

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They are so BIG! Thanks for sharing Debbie, beautiful birds! ❤

 

[janiedoe]

I wasn't sure if I should post this in the Odoban Hatchalong as these chicks are the products of that. I guess I could just post the link to this there.

The 10 now 9 weeks old chicks have been living out in the aviary for a couple of weeks. I've been opening the door every morning so they could come out but they didn't go far as it's been so cold.

Today they sure came out and went down the hill into the woods a little ways. One found a huge nightcrawler and went running with it. That was funny!

It's weird seeing the babies acting so grown up just like that!

View attachment 3782638

They sure are some cuties!

 

[2ndTink]

Your new chicks are adorable! And your older ones, wow they grow up fast!

I tried to get a photo of the one black Betsy chick, here's the results he's a chirping little squirmer!

 

[Galaxy_rules]

I've got quite a bunch of incubating going on as I've been buying eggs plus hatching my own. I'm having issues keeping track of it all. I would do another hatch along but that does take a lot of work and sometimes I don't give it as much time as I feel I should.

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Thus, a couple folks suggested I just post what's going on here, add pictures as I get time. This sounds like a great way to keep track of everything all in one place!

Incubator 1: (Brinsea)
Has 16 of my own silkie eggs in it. I call them my fancies as they are from a breeder that raises show quality. They are vaulted and bearded. Seven in total of those.
Also has 12 Paint silkie eggs, shipped in from South Carolina. They took over a week to get here so not sure what to expect with that on top of the trip. I've hatched several batches of shipped eggs though and usually do pretty well, up in the 70% range. If it's over 50%, it's fine with me. These were all set February 17th.

On deck:

22 eggs, mostly silkie but other varieties arrived today from @2ndTink. We're swapping eggs so I got to see what a green egg looked like in person for the first time today. Also on deck, the second batch of Paint silkie eggs the seller sent when she thought they lost the first ones. Both of these boxes arrived today and are sitting in egg cartons to be set tomorrow morning/afternoon.

The breed pens for my "fancies:"
Piper, one of two roosters, but the only one in the pen. The other is Blueboy. The ladies are Marsha, a splash, Charlotte and Cocoa Puffs two chocolates. I've also just added the black hen. Blueboy is free-ranging with his partridge hen and the 7 pet quality silkies.
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Probably on Saturday, or within a week I will have two dozen cuckoo/buff/paint silkie eggs arriving.

These are from the first batch I got from her. They are now three weeks old and live in the brooder in our house. Today they got out for a while in the puppy pen in the living room.

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2/17/24: Set 18 of our eggs, 12 paint. 1:50 p.m. Due: 3/9.
2/21/24: Set 22 Tink's, 2nd set of 12 paint. 10:00 a.m. CST Due: 3/13.
2/25/24: Set 24 Buff/cuckoo, paint 3 a.m. Due 3/16
3/4/24: Set 12 of the pretties eggs. Due 3/25 9 hatched.
3/9/24: Set 23 eggs of the pretties for the Easter Hatchalong. Due 3/30. Put most in the NR360 and the rest in the Brinsea. 20 are left.
3/22/24: Set 22 of the pretties, due 4/12.

Sooooo cute!

 

[Debbie292d]

Your new chicks are adorable! And your older ones, wow they grow up fast!

I tried to get a photo of the one black Betsy chick, here's the results he's a chirping little squirmer!

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Thank you!

With that much white it's got to be a splash, you think?

 

[Debbie292d]

Sooooo cute!

They are so BIG! Thanks for sharing Debbie, beautiful birds! ❤

They sure are some cuties!

Your new chicks are adorable! And your older ones, wow they grow up fast!

Thank you!

 

[janiedoe]

Your new chicks are adorable! And your older ones, wow they grow up fast!

I tried to get a photo of the one black Betsy chick, here's the results he's a chirping little squirmer!

View attachment 3782831View attachment 3782832View attachment 3782833

What's his name? He certainly has the rooster stance.

 

[2ndTink]

Thank you!

With that much white it's got to be a splash, you think?

I hadn't thought of that! I was thinking silver based black, but it is a lot of white! I have a chick from my chocolate hen that is really dark with white foot fluff

 

[2ndTink]

What's his name? He certainly has the rooster stance.

That was my thought too. No name yet..

 

[Debbie292d]

I hadn't thought of that! I was thinking silver based black, but it is a lot of white! I have a chick from my chocolate hen that is really dark with white foot fluff

Right. I've had tons of black ones with a bit of white on their wings and maybe a white neck, but those turn out black. Yours has a ton of white on it so it seems like it's going to be something else besides solid black.