Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[CSolis]

Second Silkie cross project: The Steelie Meister from Gen Lee and TD x Shadow Captain who is in with Poof Poof.. I'm super curious as to the coloring of babies I will get from this pair.

The third phase will be breeding those above chicks ( the pullets of course) back to Little Boy Blue, a son of Shadow Captain and Poof Poof.

Any guesses on the future color of offspring? I was reading one article about color genetics and it stated Black x Splash will give 100% blue.. sorry to disagree, but I've gotten mostly blue splash males from my pair and one single blue male, whereas for females, they've been mostly blue and one splash.

 

[Cynthia12]

This popped up again. So rime to share a couple more photos.

 

[Poodlemum]

I love them so much!! You have to print those and make little ornaments!

Oh that would be such a fun idea!!! The kids would love that craft

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

@AngBantamLuv now I'm getting concerned bout this weather as everytime I check it (cuz family traveling) they have lowered the temps towards weekend even more than it was last time I looked!
8 week old Silkies have been out with the rest of the bantams for several weeks...there is a heat plate inside the coop if they choose to go inside. But I leave the coop door open so they can have fully covered run access along with their coop.
If temps dip as low as they are saying (possibly even negatives) do yall think they will all be ok?

 

[AngBantamLuv]

@AngBantamLuv now I'm getting concerned bout this weather as everytime I check it (cuz family traveling) they have lowered the temps towards weekend even more than it was last time I looked!
8 week old Silkies have been out with the rest of the bantams for several weeks...there is a heat plate inside the coop if they choose to go inside. But I leave the coop door open so they can have fully covered run access along with their coop.
If temps dip as low as they are saying (possibly even negatives) do yall think they will all be ok?

I think you should lock them in the coop. Sometimes they just dont make the best decisions, and they might be stir crazy, but at least alive. Is there someone that can let them out once the worst is over?

 

[AngBantamLuv]

I think you should lock them in the coop. Sometimes they just dont make the best decisions, and they might be stir crazy, but at least alive. Is there someone that can let them out once the worst is over?

And btw.. its getting worse here too.. because now instead of 60 dropping to 16, its going to be 75 dropping to 16.. its that massive temp change that has me worried.. if it were 25 to 15, they wouldn't be as affected. Ugh. I've decided ill bring them in just at night, and let them run in the yard and hang out in their usual run/coop during the day, then back inside the second night. I hope the whole winter isn't going to be like this.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Sorry, this is gonna be a long post, so hang on to your hats! My first silkie cross project started with Turtle Dove and Gen Lee: View attachment 3353654View attachment 3353655
Then General Lee was bred to one of their daughters (foreground) and Cherokee a cochin mix. View attachment 3353657
Sharing is caring... so they say..
First batch to hatch: 50% Satin and 50% Smooth (?)View attachment 3353658View attachment 3353659View attachment 3353660View attachment 3353662
Second Batch to hatch:View attachment 3353664View attachment 3353666View attachment 3353667View attachment 3353668
Seems the second batch are all Satins.. At least colors are consistent.

That last one looks like a mini turtle dove!! They are all super cute

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I think you should lock them in the coop. Sometimes they just dont make the best decisions, and they might be stir crazy, but at least alive. Is there someone that can let them out once the worst is over?

During day and night or just at night lock em in?
I've been tucking em in the coop at night yhen letting em out each morning at sun up.

Oh and whats too long for them to go without water? I don't put water inside the coop area cu of the deep bedding.
They've been going to bed around 4:30 and get out around 6-6:30 and the adults are always fine n dandy but the babies all go straight for water.

 

[Hinotori]

Second Silkie cross project: The Steelie Meister from Gen Lee and TD x Shadow Captain who is in with Poof Poof.. I'm super curious as to the coloring of babies I will get from this pair.View attachment 3353671View attachment 3353672

The third phase will be breeding those above chicks ( the pullets of course) back to Little Boy Blue, a son of Shadow Captain and Poof Poof.View attachment 3353673
Any guesses on the future color of offspring? I was reading one article about color genetics and it stated Black x Splash will give 100% blue.. sorry to disagree, but I've gotten mostly blue splash males from my pair and one single blue male, whereas for females, they've been mostly blue and one splash.

Then the black isn't black and is blue. It's very possible for blues to be so dark they look black.

I've seen that happen many times. Gets even more confusing when it's on a color like partridge or wheaten. I thought Id lost the blue partridge in my silkie flock. Apparently one hen who looks regular partridge is just very dark blue instead of black on dark parts as I got 3 lovely, and obvious, blue partridge chicks this last year.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

@Poodlemum they are all so adorable!!!

@CSolis i absolutely luv the colors you are getting!!!