@diamondsilkies’ Silkie Journal

[diamondsilkies]

About a week ago, I decided to make a thread here on BYC that keeps track of my serama journey. I decided to make one for my silkies as well, seeing as they are the breed that brought me into the chicken world.

My family has raised chickens for quite some time, but about 5 years ago, I decided to get some chickens as well. After some research, I decided silkies were the breed for me, and I ordered 17 white silkie chicks from Cackle Hatchery. Since then, I have acquired several more, and have started breeding them as a hobby, along with my seramas. I also have a couple other girls for laying. This thread is mostly meant to keep track of things for my own record keeping, but if anyone wants to follow along, I’d love to have you here! I’ll post pictures soon.

 

[N F C]

Love to see some pictures of your birds (including the Seramas)!

 

[diamondsilkies]

Love to see some pictures of your birds (including the Seramas)!

Serama pictures can be found at: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/diamondsilkies-serama-journal.1289065/#post-20917050

Silkie pictures/descriptions:

This is Percy. He's one of the first silkies I ever got, from Cackle Hatchery. Technically, he's not great quality for breeding, but I've become very attached to him and he helps keep the younger roosters in check.

This is my second rooster, Jackson. It's a little hard to tell in the picture, but I've determined that he's a dark splash rooster. Haven't gotten any babies from him yet, but I have a new hen with a double silver gene that I am very excited to try breeding him with. (And no, I didn't mean for their names to line up to be Percy Jackson, like the book character just a coincidence!)

This is Lucy. She was bred from my Cackle Hatchery stock (before I knew that hatchery stock wasn't usually great breeding quality). I did end up with some nice birds from it though, including her dad (Elvis) who won best of breed in a local show I did several years back.

My last bird from Cackle Hatchery is this hen, Button. She and Percy are my only two from the original batch, and are very close. She actually has some nice plumage, but is almost always either muddy or molting, so it's hard to get a good picture of her.

In November, I ordered six silkie chicks from Bobbi Porto of Indigo Egg. I ended up with two pullets and four cockerels. I'm planning on keeping both pullets and just one of the boys. I've narrowed it down to two cockerels, but am waiting for them to fill out a little more before I make my final decision. These pictures are from a couple weeks ago.

Finally, we have Ophelia, who is quite the beautiful hen. I just got her last month from @FishMtFarm here on BYC, but she's originally from SnoCo silkies. She has a double silver gene, which is supposed to make a very crisp white when bred with a white rooster, which is what I plan to do with her. However, I'd also like to experiment a little with breeding her to Jackson. She hasn't laid any eggs for me yet, but you can be sure that I'll be breeding her as soon as she starts up for the year. I currently have her watching over some chicks in my brooder, and she makes a very patient and loving mother.

And that's all for now! I hope to get one or two pullets/hens (and maybe a rooster) from Harvest Breeze Farm within the next year or so, so we'll see how that goes.

 

[drumstick diva]

You have some beautiful silkies

 

[diamondsilkies]

You have some beautiful silkies

Thank you!

 

[NNYchick]

@diamondsilkies i got my start with my Silkies from fishmtfarm a couple years ago and most recently I got serama hens from her for Christmas. I was sad that she sold off her breeding flocks as she is fairly local and I could always trust that she only sold healthy birds, was honest and helpful. Our hens are probably sisters. My little Sugar Mama (hatched May 2017) looks just like your Ophelia. She is my best broody and has hatched and raised plenty of chicks for me

I just ordered 15 splash Silkies from cackle Hatchery. I’ve seen some really awesome Silkies from there. I’m hoping to get a least few that are of good quality, I’ve always wanted splash but have not had luck with breeders locally.

 

[drumstick diva]

when you see the silkie chicks together they look like snow

 

[NNYchick]

when you see the silkie chicks together they look like snow

Yes that silver gene really does make them bright white. Sugar mama is always bright white and I have never bathed her with water, just her dirt baths.

 

[drumstick diva]

that's great