Recent content by Jen Leigh

I do the hang test by the neck, not sure how scientific it is, but the first 6 silkies we bought we were 100% on the sex, can't wait to see if I'm right with this batch. I did do the wing test which confirmed what I think they are, but I've heard it isn't accurate with silkies.

Sorry it took so long, we had a leak and with the recent cold snap before Christmas it appears most plumbers are backed up!

I'll try a few of her eggs again at the end of the month when I set more. I do need the thermometer/hydrometer before I get started. If I still have issues with her eggs I'll rehome her to my daughter and get another white silkie. It was heart breaking to lose the first one on hatch day with the...

I can limit their treats, although they really don't get that much. I started giving them something because it's when we feed the other animals and they were harassing the cats and trying to get in the back yard to eat the dogs food. They have feed left over every day, they just prefer not to...

I can steam the veggies, but they do love raw fruit and they eat a ton of worms and bugs. Lots of leaves on the ground in the forest and you can see where they have been scratching. I know they are getting their protein. They are healthy, happy and in general a great flock. I thought they would...

Her eggs are normal shape, they are a few grams less than a 'large' egg, bigger than some of the Australorp eggs.

When I say treats it's fruits and veggies, mostly raw, uncooked for the nutrients they get. They get sunflower seeds once a week or every other week, pumpkin seeds etc but it's all raw, grown right here for them. They don't eat much feed, probably 64 ounces a day at best for 17 full grown...

It's the all flock feed from Rural King. In addition they get a fruit/vegetable/grain mix in the afternoons. Things like tomato scraps, bananas going bad but not bad, grapes, cooked rice/pasta, scraps that aren't sweets although they will, occasionally get a peanut butter cookie. They also have...

All the hens have the same feed/scratch once a day, then they free range the rest of the day. Fresh water is always available all around the property (they wander on about 5 acres, partially wooded). None of the other hens have an issue and I just hatched 5 other silkie eggs in the same...

I'm a little late to the thread, but I set my first batch in December and 7 of 8 in lockdown hatched between Jan 2-4. They are silkies so tiny and adorable. Not at all as loud as my Australorp chicks when I brought them home last year!

I have an 8 month old white silkie hen that lays eggs a few grams shy of a 'large' egg and she lays between 4-6 eggs a week. I had an Australorp hen go broody at 7 months old and I gave her 6 eggs, one was a white silkie egg. She hatched 5, the white silkie chick pipped and started zipping (it...

I've found that silkie roosters have attitudes way bigger than their bodies. I have two silkie and an Australorp roo. The largest silkie roo is as big as the Australorp hens. I hand raised him but he still ended up attacking me. His first run I just thought he ran into me on accident, but then...

My hens have different spots they like to lay. I have one that lays in a cow feeder and another that lays on top of an old chest of drawers in the barn. Last week with the cold weather the chickens stayed in the barn, including the roosters. I haven't had a hen lay in the nesting boxes since...

Thanks everyone for being so welcoming!

We've been retired a few years now and I've always wanted chickens. I first saw BYC when researching breeds and finally purchased 17 chicks last April. I got 11 Australorp pullets and 6 Silkie straight run chicks. We ended up with 3 males, so I traded one for an Australorp male who was only 4...