BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[ocap]

Quote:
that settles it !!!

 

[DesertChic]

Do you have a link so I could read about them??

https://www.purelypoultry.com/silkie-broilers-p-1303.html

 

[miss heny]

we plan on getting a pair hopefully next year. In the process of convincing the matron to let us get ko shamos to help breed for meatier bantams plus I can show those

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote: Yup - she does. Eight Acres (you can find it easily on Google). That being said, the chicks arrived in good condition via the mail... And if I didn't share it here (I forget - sorry), the Blue Copper Marans I got form her are lovely and laying very nice eggs:

Quote:
the holes are not to my liking but the silkies were/are expensive hawk food and rarely get off the nest to free range, 5 broods in one year including sitting on frozen eggs in 5F January weather
If I end up ever getting Silkies (broiler or not), I think I will keep them permanently enclosed - hawk food is about right around here as well. Maybe I'd let them brood and raise some little olive eggers or naked necks. Maybe a little enclosed chicken moat around the garden?

- Ant Farm

- Ant Farm

 

[miss heny]

I think silkies are bait for all predators lmao. Wonder how they survived tbh >.>

 

[holm25]

the holes are not to my liking but the silkies were/are expensive hawk food and rarely get off the nest to free range, 5 broods in one year including sitting on frozen eggs in 5F January weather

Holy cats it's 5 degrees there in January! Lol everything has its faults

 

[miss heny]

My silkie hen only went broody once XD she needed a bath after that didn't get a single chick but we did get one stinky yard

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

OK, rookie question:

My Naked Necks prefer to roost in the "open air" part of their coop (enclosed and predator safe), not the enclosed hen house. I tried to get them to roost in the hen house for a couple weeks at first before just giving up. Didn't think more of it until about a day or two ago - I have at least two hens who are near naked with molt, and it's going down to 36F tonight (and with them roosting up "in the breeze" - sometimes not even up against each other).

So I went in at dusk and moved them all into the henhouse, which made them all VERY unhappy (especially Snape the rooster). I am uninjured, but they are all ticked off at me. The issue tonight was that they kept trying to come back out (no door, just an opening) because it was darker in the henhouse than the outer part of the coop. I had to prop a board against the opening (and they kept pushing it down) - it was a real pain, and I'm sure it stressed them out a lot, which was not my intention. They can't see to roost, and are just in a pig pile by the door now (which is fine for now - I just want to be sure they are all warm tonight, it'll be warmer again tomorrow).

Strategy question: If I want to encourage them to start sleeping in the hen house, but would rather not go through the stress of moving them every night, should I have a low light in there at dusk to lure them in - would that work? (I don't have a way to lock them in, and no food or water up there - it's like a loft).

- Ant Farm

 

[abbevilleoz]

anybody try the Kosher kings? https://www.purelypoultry.com/kosher-king-chickens-p-1436.html
There are some threads on BYC but they are from 20011 or so.

I'm a bit interested in them, too. I like their looks. It would be hard to beat the CXs from Cackle Hatchery we processed last week.

 

[abbevilleoz]

OK, rookie question:

My Naked Necks prefer to roost in the "open air" part of their coop (enclosed and predator safe), not the enclosed hen house. I tried to get them to roost in the hen house for a couple weeks at first before just giving up. Didn't think more of it until about a day or two ago - I have at least two hens who are near naked with molt, and it's going down to 36F tonight (and with them roosting up "in the breeze" - sometimes not even up against each other). 

So I went in at dusk and moved them all into the henhouse, which made them all VERY unhappy (especially Snape the rooster). I am uninjured, but they are all ticked off at me. The issue tonight was that they kept trying to come back out (no door, just an opening) because it was darker in the henhouse than the outer part of the coop. I had to prop a board against the opening (and they kept pushing it down) - it was a real pain, and I'm sure it stressed them out a lot, which was not my intention. They can't see to roost, and are just in a pig pile by the door now (which is fine for now - I just want to be sure they are all warm tonight, it'll be warmer again tomorrow).

Strategy question: If I want to encourage them to start sleeping in the hen house, but would rather not go through the stress of moving them every night, should I have a low light in there at dusk to lure them in - would that work? (I don't have a way to lock them in, and no food or water up there - it's like a loft).

- Ant Farm

The light may help but I think you'll still have to physically move them a couple of evenings. Since you can't lock them in, wait til it's really dark before you move them.