Consolidated Kansas

[chicken danz]

checoukan, Thanks. That is what mine have. That is a perfect description. I was afraid it was supposed to be red or pink. It does look like mulberries. Kind of a mix of berry red and darker mulberry color.

 

[checoukan]

Quote:
Don't want a red color at all, the darker the comb the better. Your combs on a silkie are called "Walnut". The right texture looks like the hull of a walnut.

 

[chicken danz]

Thanks. I feel a little more knowledgable now. I certianly have no intent of showing birds but as I increase breeds I like to know what to look for and which ones to cull out.

 

[Tarja]

Would it be best to start with hatching eggs, chicks or the point of lay pullets? I know with eggs, we will get roosters, but my DH says he would process any that we can't keep. Kids want to watch eggs hatch, so that sounds fun.

 

[rittert3]

They cheapest way to start is with eggs and, if you want to keep hatching, keep a roo around. You will be sure to stay in chickens.

 

[checoukan]

Tarja--Just what are you wanting to do? Just have some chickens for home use, or are you going to be showing?

 

[Tarja]

Home eggs, yard art, fun learning for the kids, that range. Eggs are cheapest, which is a plus. Also, lets the kids learn about some biology, always good.

 

[checoukan]

Have you ever hatched any eggs before? It is a fun way for the kids to learn. It can be very stressful. If you want to hatch, it might be best to get a few "barnyard" eggs from someone. Then if you have a bad hatch, or lose power, or whatever, you don't have a lot in eggs. Once you feel comfortable in hatching, then get the breed fo chicken eggs you want. Your little "barnyard" babies you hatch you can always sell to pay for the eggs you really want.

 

[rittert3]

If you had the time and room you could also teach them a little about genetics with chickens. BBS and sex-link are pretty simple genetics to learn with chickens. Just remember you pay for quality, when I started hatching as a young teenager I would go around and buy up mostly barnyard mutt eggs (1 of the farms I bought from had a "pure" (hatchery) flock of white rocks) for $1/doz. then I would resell the chicks , at 4-6 weeks old, to whoever I could find for $2ea. I thought it was a fun and profitable hobby at that age, and I did it for a couple years without ever having an adult chicken. You will pay a little most depending on breed/s of chickens and quality of lines and sometimes eggs can be hard to find if you are picky. With chicks you have a little more choice.

Just wanted to let everyone know I may be scarce for a while, I'm switching apartments over the next couple days and the Internet guy can't come out to switch our service for another week, shortly after that I might have to disconnect my internet for upto a couple months until our financial situation stablizes again.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
Rittert, you'll be missed! But I hope you enjoy your new digs.

Tarja, if you ship eggs, they may not all hatch anyway. I've been doing a lot of reading about that (no personal experience). The consensus is that some of the eggs get scrambled or break their air sacs. Or just break altogether. I'd go with cheap local eggs first! Nothing that has to be shipped. I want an incubator! I think that would be so much fun! I hope you do it!