Silkied Ameraucana Project

[Saris]

I will ship silkied eggs. Once they start laying, I will test hatch for fertility. I guess shipping will be February or March. Just waiting on the girls to start laying.

Awesome!

 

[EdenCamp]

I don't know exactly what I got from Jubaby. She was first introducing normal feathered birds in an attempt to get a more vigorous bird. I know she had sent some eggs from the original birds but the chicks never made it out of the shells. I also hatched a black chick from the eggs she sent which couldn't have been an F1 or F2. The whole thing was a disaster for me and it will take years for me to breed the black skin and extra toes out of my line. I'm disappointed that nobody here can spare a few eggs to the pure birds back into my birds. I'm certainly not looking for a free handout, either. I know it's not anyone's problem but my own....

I know there was a test breeding done of Jubaby's birds to silkies to see if it was the same gene.It did result in silkied birds so it is the same gene. However, tracing back there were and should be no Silkie crosses in SiAms. Those extra toes and black skin are a beast. People do offer up on occasion - when they can spare from their own programs. And when the bird are breeding - it's molt and shorter light with winter approaching. There are sometimes chicks, on rare occasion a JV or adult - usually splits but in a blue moon full silkied birds. Pounce when they are offered.

 

[Saris]

I found the facebook group for this project and requested to join. Hopefully I can get more info about them before I actually get any eggs. I read that they have an above average mortality rate? I really like the look of Ameraucanas and I love the silkied feathers I'm determined to someday own some splash birds either hard feathered or silkied. I guess what pertinent info should I have before I start a flock of these girls? Do they need any special treatment, do they still have high mortality?

 

[txcarl1258]

I haven't experienced high mortality with them. I live in south texas and we have a very mild climate. Can't speak for those who live in more extreme cold temperatures. I am outcrossing mine with Paul smith birds to improve genetic diversity.

 

[Saris]

I haven't experienced high mortality with them. I live in south texas and we have a very mild climate. Can't speak for those who live in more extreme cold temperatures. I am outcrossing mine with Paul smith birds to improve genetic diversity.

Thanks for the reply. I live in Washington and I know that there are lots of regular silkies up here and do fine with the weather. Do you ship eggs?

 

[dheltzel]

I have had higher mortality than with my non-silkied Ams, and seems like slower growth in general also. I have them in my most "protected" pen now and they are doing fine since I learned to treat them with extra TLC. I think they are worth the extra effort, but probably won't be as popular with backyard chicken keepers as the other Ams that I have, and that's OK. I like having something to sell that my customers can not get anywhere else, even if it's more for "bragging rights" than actual sales. But I've been surprised in the past by sales of breeds, both higher or lower than I expected, and there will always be some demand for a rarely seen or highly unusual chicken.

I don't ship anything, but if anyone is in driving distance of Philly, I hope to have black and lavender silkied ams available in the spring.

 

[Saris]

I have had higher mortality than with my non-silkied Ams, and seems like slower growth in general also. I have them in my most "protected" pen now and they are doing fine since I learned to treat them with extra TLC. I think they are worth the extra effort, but probably won't be as popular with backyard chicken keepers as the other Ams that I have, and that's OK. I like having something to sell that my customers can not get anywhere else, even if it's more for "bragging rights" than actual sales. But I've been surprised in the past by sales of breeds, both higher or lower than I expected, and there will always be some demand for a rarely seen or highly unusual chicken.

I don't ship anything, but if anyone is in driving distance of Philly, I hope to have black and lavender silkied ams available in the spring.

Right now I am chatting with a user on here who says they have two pullets a Lav and a black split to lav. I'm hoping to get some pics soon. I'm also hoping to get some eggs from an in state breeder who has splash silkies. Has anyone heard of Pokey's poultry? They're on Facebook. There is another person who has silkied BBS eggs that I want to get and another local that has regular Ams I chocolate that I want to use to get chocolate SiAms. I can't wait for March so I can order eggs.

 

[txcarl1258]

Thanks for the reply. I live in Washington and I know that there are lots of regular silkies up here and do fine with the weather. Do you ship eggs?

Unfortunately no I'm not NPIP certified. Wish I could as I'll have some available in spring.

 

[Saris]

Unfortunately no I'm not NPIP certified. Wish I could as I'll have some available in spring.

I'm debating with myself on whether or not to get certified. I wouldn't need it for local stuff, and my closest neighbor Idaho doesn't require it for eggs. But it would be nice if I end up with being successful on my project birds. Right now I technically have more chickens than I'm zoned for. And an illegal rooster..... but my neighbors told me that they don't mind.

Do you have to be NPIP to ship out of Texas?

 

[Redcatcher]

I know there was a test breeding done of Jubaby's birds to silkies to see if it was the same gene.It did result in silkied birds so it is the same gene. However, tracing back there were and should be no Silkie crosses in SiAms. Those extra toes and black skin are a beast. People do offer up on occasion - when they can spare from their own programs. And when the bird are breeding - it's molt and shorter light with winter approaching. There are sometimes chicks, on rare occasion a JV or adult - usually splits but in a blue moon full silkied birds. Pounce when they are offered.

My recent generations of Silkie crosses no longer have Silkie traits but some still crop up on occasion. The dark skin and eyes sometimes appear on black or dark blue birds and some might have 4 or 5 feather follicles on their outer shanks. The crests were fairly easy to eliminate. They lay blue eggs. All of them are "Silkie-brained" (and anyone who has ever bred Silkies knows what I'm referring to).