Convince me i need silkies

[JacinLarkwell]

Would you say Cochins or phoenix as @JacinLarkwell would be better option for what I need? Well actually let me rephrase that question because we know for a fact those two breeds are better at free ranging. Would you say those two breeds tend to go broody about as often as silkies?

My pheonixes were on par with the silkies this year, but if I have March pheonix hatches, those are more likely to brood their pullet year than silkies in their pullet year. Plus they can cover more eggs.

Cochins are a hit or miss with brooding

 

[fluffycrow]

My pheonixes were on par with the silkies this year, but if I have March pheonix hatches, those are more likely to brood their pullet year than silkies in their pullet year. Plus they can cover more eggs.

Cochins are a hit or miss with brooding

Hmm interesting. From the research I just did (and with your help of course), I think phoenix might be a better option for me. They are alert, wildish, brood well, fly well, are on the smaller side, and from what I've gathered not aggressive

Thank you all for your recommendations, I would love if you could give me some tips or some important points you have found to be useful in phoenix keeping

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hmm interesting. From the research I just did (and with your help of course), I think phoenix might be a better option for me. They are alert, wildish, brood well, fly well, are on the smaller side, and from what I've gathered not aggressive

Thank you all for your recommendations, I would love if you could give me some tips or some important points you have found to be useful in phoenix keeping

I just let mine do their own thing. When they hatch I keep mama and babies penned seperate for a few week or so if there's babies I really want to grow out. If there isn't, then I only try ro pen them up for a couple days. Then they just join the pheonix flock and free range. Losses are expected to happen with free range babies, it's just a fact of life. I average a 25-60% survival rate on most free range clutches depending on how many were originally hatched and how good mom is, as well as predator load. The ones that stay penned obviously have a higher rate so long as they don't get coccidiosis.

Often the larger clutches have the higher mortality rate. It's easy for mama to keep track of three or four chicks than it is for her to keep track of 12 or 15.

 

[Amer]

I would suggest a bantam variety. Most bantams go broody fairly easily, and often do well ranging because they are small and can fly/move quickly.

I don’t like bantams because they hatch so few.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I don’t like bantams because they hatch so few.

You clearly have never met my Cornish bantams. Almost as ratlike as my pheonixes when it comes to popularion explosions. They would not last a night out of a pen though, probably not a day either

 

[Amer]

You clearly have never met my Cornish bantams. Almost as ratlike as my pheonixes when it comes to popularion explosions. They would not last a night out of a pen though, probably not a day either

They don’t cover large fowl eggs, do they?
My Easter Egger hatched like a dozen. I just don’t think a bantam could do that.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

They don’t cover large fowl eggs, do they?
My Easter Egger hatched like a dozen. I just don’t think a bantam could do that.

Mine covered a few, I think 6 was the limit. Most of my eggs are bantam though that go underneath the broodies, apart from the pheonixes. If the cornish had proper down under their feathers, it would probably be more like cochin bantams. My cochins can easily cover 16-18 of their eggs thanks to all the down. The Cornish are more like broad turkeys with their feathering

 

[fluffycrow]

I just let mine do their own thing. When they hatch I keep mama and babies penned seperate for a few week or so if there's babies I really want to grow out. If there isn't, then I only try ro pen them up for a couple days. Then they just join the pheonix flock and free range. Losses are expected to happen with free range babies, it's just a fact of life. I average a 25-60% survival rate on most free range clutches depending on how many were originally hatched and how good mom is, as well as predator load. The ones that stay penned obviously have a higher rate so long as they don't get coccidiosis.

Often the larger clutches have the higher mortality rate. It's easy for mama to keep track of three or four chicks than it is for her to keep track of 12 or 15.

Thank you so much! I will probably put the phoenix eggs under an aseel hen, although I would prefer to put them under a regular hen so that she can teach them to free range properly, if one of them lazy girls decides to sit this year that is

I would love to see photos of your phoenixes and your cornish bantams if you have photos and feel comfortable doing so

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Thank you so much! I will probably put the phoenix eggs under an aseel hen, although I would prefer to put them under a regular hen so that she can teach them to free range properly, if one of them lazy girls decides to sit this year that is

I would love to see photos of your phoenixes and your cornish bantams if you have photos and feel comfortable doing so

Here's some of the male's from this year, excluding the cull.

There might be some girls in the background, I'm still editing video I took this weekend for my posts

 

[fluffycrow]

Here's some of the male's from this year, excluding the cull.

There might be some girls in the background, I'm still editing video I took this weekend for my posts

Beautiful birds!!! Thank you for just reminding me to go look at the SOP