Well, I have been thinking that I was just going to breed some silkies for fun. I spent way too much time tring to get people to tell me what I wanted to hear about that project, and now there has been a change of plans. One of you sort of helped me see that I was making things too complicated, and still doing it all for not reason. So, We are going to start with show silkies instead. We have arranged to purchase a breeding show silkies from a Poultry judges flock. He has agreed to start teaching us about the breed, the standard, and sort of mentor us into getting started at some of the small shows. He is going to look at the silkies we have to see if there is anything that we could use in our breeding program, and I believe he is going to help us design a program. We get this all started next week. We are pretty excited. My teenage daughter and I are going to do this project together. I am going to take notes, and pictures if he will let me. I think we will be starting with a pair, and he will select us another pair or trio next year that will compliment them, from his same line. That's all so good.
I have been Reading "Exhibition Poultry keeping" by David Scrivener, and I am looking for ideas on housing show silkies. I am sure that the Fellow we are buying them from will have lots of ideas to look at, but I know there are lots of people on here with show silkies. I am looking for discriptions of your set ups. I want to do it right the first time, make it look good. Good looking birds, deserve a good looking house. The book I mentioned has some housing info, but sizes of things are very vague, because they could be for bantams or large fowl. How do you keep your show birds? groups? individuals? pairs or trio's? I am looking for ideas so I can have an "educated discussion" next week with my new mentor.
I have 3 buildings; 1- 6 feet by 12 Feet, 7 feet high in the front and 6 in the back ( my leghorns live here) , 4x4 shed 5 feet in the front; 4 feet in the rear, and an 8 x12 baby barn with 4 foot side walls and a hip roof. How could I divide them up to work with as a Show silkie stud farm?
I have been Reading "Exhibition Poultry keeping" by David Scrivener, and I am looking for ideas on housing show silkies. I am sure that the Fellow we are buying them from will have lots of ideas to look at, but I know there are lots of people on here with show silkies. I am looking for discriptions of your set ups. I want to do it right the first time, make it look good. Good looking birds, deserve a good looking house. The book I mentioned has some housing info, but sizes of things are very vague, because they could be for bantams or large fowl. How do you keep your show birds? groups? individuals? pairs or trio's? I am looking for ideas so I can have an "educated discussion" next week with my new mentor.
I have 3 buildings; 1- 6 feet by 12 Feet, 7 feet high in the front and 6 in the back ( my leghorns live here) , 4x4 shed 5 feet in the front; 4 feet in the rear, and an 8 x12 baby barn with 4 foot side walls and a hip roof. How could I divide them up to work with as a Show silkie stud farm?
