Hey All - I'm back!!
Update: I've had a little break from BYC for a few months while I raised my new puppy. I've managed to rehome all the cockerels from last year's hatch (I got 5 boys out of 6 chicks that reached maturity) and now I'm planning this year's attempts to increase my tiny little backyard flock in sunny England.
Colour and variety is what I am aiming for. I really don't want to keep any two birds that look the same.
So this is what I've got currently: paint Silkie cock, and hens are frizzle gold laced Polish, blue splash laced Wyandotte, partridge Silkie, cuckoo Polish, and a black as coal Polkie. All bantams.
My Silkie hen is broody (aren't they always) and I've bought 12 hatching eggs. They are a pot luck mix of bantam OEG, Sebright and Serama. I will probably only get 8 or so of them covered by my Silkie and I'll pop one of her eggs under there too as I didn't manage to hatch any pure Silkies last year.
I've kept Seramas before but not the other breeds, and I have always hankered after Silver Sebrights.
On a side note, I've got robins, starlings and wood pigeons nesting in my garden so it will be chicktastic this spring!
I will post on this thread as my 2021 journey progresses. Would love it if people can join me, share their experiences and advice and see what we end up with by Autumn. Wish me pullet hatching luck!!!
Update: I've had a little break from BYC for a few months while I raised my new puppy. I've managed to rehome all the cockerels from last year's hatch (I got 5 boys out of 6 chicks that reached maturity) and now I'm planning this year's attempts to increase my tiny little backyard flock in sunny England.
Colour and variety is what I am aiming for. I really don't want to keep any two birds that look the same.
So this is what I've got currently: paint Silkie cock, and hens are frizzle gold laced Polish, blue splash laced Wyandotte, partridge Silkie, cuckoo Polish, and a black as coal Polkie. All bantams.
My Silkie hen is broody (aren't they always) and I've bought 12 hatching eggs. They are a pot luck mix of bantam OEG, Sebright and Serama. I will probably only get 8 or so of them covered by my Silkie and I'll pop one of her eggs under there too as I didn't manage to hatch any pure Silkies last year.
I've kept Seramas before but not the other breeds, and I have always hankered after Silver Sebrights.
On a side note, I've got robins, starlings and wood pigeons nesting in my garden so it will be chicktastic this spring!
I will post on this thread as my 2021 journey progresses. Would love it if people can join me, share their experiences and advice and see what we end up with by Autumn. Wish me pullet hatching luck!!!