chickens day out

[shaggy]

i live inside city limits --- so for the most part i have to keep my chickens cooped up. i started letting them out a little bit this weekend.

here are the photos

you can't tell -- but there are 5 chickens huddled up here

 

[meriruka]

For some reason I can only see the first photo, but they sure look happy to be out and about.

 

[Darlasmum]

HA HA- I love that 'fallen over lovin the dirt n sun' thing !

 

[newchik715]

I am so new to all of this...I am curious what kind the all white ones are? They look so pretty...do they lay? Are they even girls?

 

[PortageGirl]

Quote:
Welcome newchik715!

They look like Silkies to me, though they COULD be Showgirls,

which are a sort of Silkie (I think

), I should probably waited for shaggy to answer you, but I didn't want you to be wondering too long, now we can wonder together!! I think they ARE hens, and yes they lay eggs, but they tend to be very small... they're a banty size bird and rather delicate. I also haven't heard good things about the size of their brains.... as if chickens need fewer brains than usual!!!

Lots of people like them because they are very friendly and funny.

I'll go away now and wait for a better answer for you too.

 

[newchik715]

thanks for posting...from another post i gather they are silkies as well but i would love to know if they are good layers....i really want pretty birds but i am concerned with egg production and friendliness...anyway thanks for your answer and i will wait for others!

 

[mlm1965]

Mine have not starting laying yet, but from everything I have read silkies lay one egg every three days on average. SO not the best layers. But I got mine for pets, and am learning as we go!

 

[meriruka]

Silkies rock! They are the second sweetest birds I've ever had (the first being my OEGB's) They lay every other day for the first couple years. The eggs are small but perfect for deviled eggs and the shells are rock hard.

 

[shaggy]

they are white silkies

they aren't very good layers, or good meat chickens (because their skin is black) --- but they are very friendly, cute, and make excellent mothers (broodies) --- so whenever i decide to expand my flock, i can get day old chickens and slip them under one of the silkies in the middle of the night and let her raise them. (i think 1 is a roo and the little one is a hen)

we got these because my wife wanted "pet" chickens --- so technically they are hers ... the rest are mine, for eggs ... and when they stop laying eggs - they will become gumbo or chicken and dumplings