Had to buy a couple of new heated waterers tonight for the chicks/juveniles that are out in the new coop, it isn't insulated yet and it will get pretty cold tonight so had to make sure they had water. If anyone needs any, Sweeny's has their heated waterers on sale for 30% off right now, the Blende/Mesa store still had a couple left after I bought two. Stocked up on scratch grains and got a bag each of starter and grower while I was there, saves me a trip this weekend. I decided to try rolled oats in place of whole oats in the scratch mix, I use it with crumble in my FF and they seem to be leaving more and more of the whole oats lately so hoping the change makes it more appetizing, even though rolled oats are a bit lower in protein. The layers are already consuming some bugs so they should be fine.
Getting ready to start a new FF batch with grower and scratch for the juveniles, and one with just starter. Got the bowls and now just have to get containers to feed it out in and then I'll get it started. The past several weeks have been so darned busy, I just have not had the time to start it, but now that most of the work on the coop is inside and not so weather-dependent I should be able to get it together this week. The Catdance Silkies are too adorable for words, and so curious about everything we do in the coop, very people-oriented. They are 2 months old now, and I am pretty sure I have 3 cockerels and 2 pullets. The cockerels are the silver-based white, the Blue/Splash, and the Black which came from the Lavender pen covered by a Black split to Lavender Roo, and the pullets are the Porcelain and the gold-based White with the crossed beak. Since most basic goal for the Silkies is brooding, this is not enough pullets. My secondary goal is to have nice enough Silkies to produce quality offspring, so I have done two things that will hopefully help me toward these goals. I ordered 12 Black Silkie hatching eggs from an NPIP-certified breeder with show quality birds, and <gulp> bought a group of adults from someone who has elected to migrate toward other breeds, mainly waterfowl. Shipping has been postponed three times thanks to weather, but next week I expect to received a Blue Roo, 2 Black Hens and 2 Partridge Hens.
Remaining is a decision about buying some chicks from another Show breeder who can ship as many as 50 Silkie chicks from what appears to be pretty nice parents. I can get chicks for $7 each (except Splash, which she wants $10 each for) plus shipping - shipping is almost $45 for 25 or almost $69 for 50 - so $220 for 25 or $420 for 50 if I get just the $7 chicks. I am pretty interested in ordering from this breeder (East Coast Silkies), and wondered if anyone else here would like to share an order. I can't afford 50 as much as I would like to, and even 25 would be a stretch. If anyone here is interested, please PM me. I would like to know by Thursday how many to order from her. I am mainly interested in Partridge, White, and maybe Blue since I still won't have a Blue hen.
I have a bunch of kilz left over from sealing my subfloor, so I was thinking about doing that inside. 
