Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

It is illegal now.

Farmers have a maximum of 30 days from when the egg was laid to 'crate it'. They have 30 days from when it was processed to sell it (if have a 'sell by' date on it - 45 days after processing for a 'best by' date). So, eggs can not be sold more than 60 days after it was laid - MAXIMUM.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/eggs/shell-eggs-farm-table

2 months?! Wow that’s crazy! I thought 2 weeks!

 

[Ponypoor]

Lost my last Auntie 94-yrs-old January 2024, today my 90-yr-old sis just got released from ER & has to see a Gi specialist for the painful polyp/cyst on her liver, our 84-yr-old friend passed away a couple weeks ago, & I have a bevvy of therapy appts coming up. I'm really feeling my old age

My 11-yr-old sis & me 1-yrs-old
c. 1945
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Well then it’s a good thing you have all of us here to whom age is nothing but a number

We all have appts and stuff at all our different ages. I’ll make you laugh like a teen

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I never had mixed breed Silkies like Polkies or Cochin-Silkies which may have different temperaments from a standard all-Silkie breed. Feather appearance & size alone can influence/change a Silkie temperament in a mixed breed. I would say a mixed breed Silkie could understandably pass on its sweet nature, maybe a larger size from the other mix, & different feather structure in the mix.

When I speak of Silkies I never mean its about any Silkie mixes cuz we've only had the straight Silkie fluffballs.
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I have both, pure silkie and couple loved silkie mixes.

Everyone's flock dynamics are different, but I will say mine do extremely well in my mixed flock of large and small birds. To be honest, the majority of my silkies have been near the top of the pecking order. Branch was King of the flock and Bubba although much larger was the subordinate rooster. With the exception of Holly and I think Squirrel all my flock members have grown up with silkies as flock members. Holly hatched and raised my first brood of silkies. Branch and Bubba were hatch mates in that brood. Holly did the hard work of integrating the silkies into the flock for me. When she was finally done with them they were established flock members who no one messed with. My hens Poppy, Chiquita and Poppet were and are no shrinking violets. They may be tiny but they are fierce and have had no qualms about putting a larger hen in their place. The 6 current pullets even though they were brooded by myself, share their momma's attitude. They stand up for themselves and are mid pack currently in the pecking order. I see them rising once they all begin laying. My mixes Goose and Spooky are Marans x silkie, perfect blend of my Marans sweetness and silkie spunk. Broody nightmares but Goose has been a very successful momma in the past. Spooky has yet to get the chance but she will this year. George the polkie, I love him and would not trade him for the world even if he has a turd moment. My newest silkie mix is the one that worries me and gives me pause. I always stated when Momma Hen was alive my nightmare cross would be a silkie x game. The thought of Momma hen crossed with a silkie, that would keep anyone up at night. Well, thanks to Poppet I do not have that exact cross but still a game x silkie cross none-the-less. Poppet has had Turkey out and about for 2 weeks now and her personality is starting to emerge. She is bold and has no fear. With her momma taking zero crap from anybody Turkey is brave and will dart and steal food from every single chicken I have. She has already joined her momma in running off birds and cats. She is a tiny tyrant in the making.

 

[TOMTE]

Wasn’t meant to be judgemental - just the ‘safety cop’ in me. Working on pipelines gave me a whole new introduction to safety around natural gas and electric systems!

Many people don’t know codes surrounding structures and utilities.

I want you and your chooks around a long time I am living vicariously through you with your beautiful ladies. It’s unlikely I will ever get any more chooks and definitely not Wyandotte and so I will have to enjoy seeing yours.

Yup I know I seriously do appreciate it!

 

[Ponypoor]

I have both, pure silkie and couple loved silkie mixes.

Everyone's flock dynamics are different, but I will say mine do extremely well in my mixed flock of large and small birds. To be honest, the majority of my silkies have been near the top of the pecking order. Branch was King of the flock and Bubba although much larger was the subordinate rooster. With the exception of Holly and I think Squirrel all my flock members have grown up with silkies as flock members. Holly hatched and raised my first brood of silkies. Branch and Bubba were hatch mates in that brood. Holly did the hard work of integrating the silkies into the flock for me. When she was finally done with them they were established flock members who no one messed with. My hens Poppy, Chiquita and Poppet were and are no shrinking violets. They may be tiny but they are fierce and have had no qualms about putting a larger hen in their place. The 6 current pullets even though they were brooded by myself, share their momma's attitude. They stand up for themselves and are mid pack currently in the pecking order. I see them rising once they all begin laying. My mixes Goose and Spooky are Marans x silkie, perfect blend of my Marans sweetness and silkie spunk. Broody nightmares but Goose has been a very successful momma in the past. Spooky has yet to get the chance but she will this year. George the polkie, I love him and would not trade him for the world even if he has a turd moment. My newest silkie mix is the one that worries me and gives me pause. I always stated when Momma Hen was alive my nightmare cross would be a silkie x game. The thought of Momma hen crossed with a silkie, that would keep anyone up at night. Well, thanks to Poppet I do not have that exact cross but still a game x silkie cross none-the-less. Poppet has had Turkey out and about for 2 weeks now and her personality is starting to emerge. She is bold and has no fear. With her momma taking zero crap from anybody Turkey is brave and will dart and steal food from every single chicken I have. She has already joined her momma in running off birds and cats. She is a tiny tyrant in the making.

Oh Momma Hen reincarnated I am sure!

 

[Sylvester017]

Such cutie pies

Fluffy and Marty hide an evil bossiness; they look art sweet and cute, but they sure can ninja kick the crap out of the other birds!

And me too…. Did you come across my post about Marty and Mr P and how o got my butt kicked by a 2lb crazy hen?

We've had some assertive Silkie girls here too which we were happy to note ~ but as soon as the Silkies went broody they lost their aggressiveness & got picked on by the non-broody hens. The Silkie broodies would not stand up for themselves. Once the broodiness broke the Silkie hens went back to normal assertiveness again.

Our standard hen breeds never went broody so they were not bullied. We never had roos so don't know anything about Silkie male assertiveness.

 

[Ponypoor]

She sent this video to me. She said they are not aggressive but slightly skittish. They were part of a 45 chick hatch and she could not be as hands on with them all. They are easy to catch and will settle down once you have your hands on them. They are let out to free range a few times a week. Honestly this is really starting to feel right. This person was one I was looking into last summer after Branch died and Poppet went broody that first time and took forever to break. She had some week old chicks for sale which were too old at the time to foster under a broody hen. She had some more eggs that were due to hatch in a week and if Poppet was still broody I was going to get 2 or 3 to give to her but she broke up before they hatched. I have kept her in the back of my mind thinking about getting a few day old chicks to raise this year in hopes of a boy. Her adults look nice, and there is some nice looking pullets in with the boy in the video.

Well he seems very friendly, and not skittish to me.

I look forward to seeing your purchase if you make one!

 

[featherhead007]

Never say never!
And it was a good reminder for us all to keep electric wires away from gas meters and gas lines.

Ya think?

 

[Ponypoor]

We've had some assertive Silkie girls here too which we were happy to note ~ but as soon as the Silkies went broody they lost their aggressiveness & got picked on by the non-broody hens. The Silkie broodies would not stand up for themselves. Once the broodiness broke the Silkie hens went back to normal assertiveness again.

Our standard hen breeds never went broody so they were not bullied. We never had roos so don't know anything about Silkie male assertiveness.

Marty the Menace

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26218908

She likes ankles…

 

[featherhead007]

I was in the coop feeding the Rockettes, when I heard my name called out “Alex, Alex” no one around except for the five Rockettes. I’m telling ya, it’s weird here today!