Silkies

[ejtrout31]

hi was wondering if you order silkies from a hatchery do they give u option of berded or no bearded.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

hi was wondering if you order silkies from a hatchery do they give u option of berded or no bearded.

Most will not give you that option... and not the option of male or female... and to be honest... some don't have 5 toes... are barely crested... even missing feathered legs and look almost nothing like a Silkie... in comparison to quality.

I breed bearded Silkies... but desperate to bring Lav into my line... I ordered from the one hatchery that had them... since anybody who has them won't give up their source and want you to wait until they are ready to sell THEIR's... Out of 30... I got MAYBE 2 that are "decent" quality meaning correct toes, beards, feathered legs... and so on. The crests are still nothing like that of breeder or show quality Silkie... BUT you don't have to worry about disease!

If you have the ability to cull... Order a bunch and keep the ones you really like... eat, sell, or give away the rest... at $3 each compared to breeders (at least $10 each), gives your room to look for and select the best quality among the group.

Once breeding... bearding is dominant, as far as I can tell... which leads me to wonder why they even have non bearded still... but I guess that is what some people actually prefer. They are cute enough... but I like the bearded Silkies.

 

[SheenaMills]

Well after reading your post above mine I may not really even need to ask— BUT I ordered 10 silkie bantam chicks from tractor supply & one of them is marked like an easter egger & her legs are barely feathered— so I was concerned with her not being a silkie or what she would look like as a grown hen. But maybe it was just a hatchery flaw?

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

I ordered from Ideal Poulty. They all had five toes and walnut combs. Correct coloring, etc.
Their birds are bearded and non-bearded. I got like 1 that was non-bearded, the rest were. I ordered 10.
Here's some pictures:

And Here's the non-bearded one. She is a hen, but my does she have some waddles!

 

[SheenaMills]

Very cute. I’m about to go count toes.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

so I was concerned with her not being a silkie

I don't recognize the color scheme right off... but maybe it is partridge or another color I haven't YET hatched!

You can find out WHICH hatchery your TSC ordered them from FOR you and see what colors they have available.

And Here's the non-bearded one. She is a hen, but my does she have some waddles!

The bearding gene inhibits waddle size... bigger is normal for non bearded. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

I don't recognize the color scheme right off... but maybe it is partridge or another color I haven't YET hatched!

You can find out WHICH hatchery your TSC ordered them from FOR you and see what colors they have available.

The bearding gene inhibits waddle size... bigger is normal for non bearded. Thanks for sharing!

Yeah, i know. I just hadn't seen one with such large ones before!

 

[SheenaMills]

The hatchery I got them from was Hoover

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The hatchery I got them from was Hoover

I see they don't offer a choice in colors of Silkie.

Did you count toes yet?

Also, what color are the legs/toes? And are you asking about the black and white one in the middle or the brown one bottom right?

Looks like you got a nice variety to look forward to!