Heart wrenching decision to make!

[bantymum]

Hi,
I have just found out that my silky rooster has bred with a langshan bantam. Her eggs were mixed up and the silky hen sat on them. they came out all beautiful however the Bantam roos have funny headcombs which are not silky.
Im so upset, my breeding program has now been set back 6 months and if i cant find homes for them ill have to cull.

They have such sweet natures and they trust me dearly,
I know that with breeding that we usually have to end up culling excess roos, but they are such sweet birds.
I also dont feel right sending xbred silkies out there into the yonder. i wish to keep lines pure!

My heart is in my shoes. I have a lovely lady 2 hours away who is going to sell me some top showstock quality hens and a roo. Not sure which colours to get.
I really need a pic of a partridge colour as I like patterns rather than straight colours.
Any thoughts will be appreciated
Helen

 

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

Please dont im the home send them to me I have 3 some acres they can roam. Don't cull the poor babys, I will take them If your willing to give a couple bucks for shipping the babys. I have 3 other silkies, and 4 buff orpingtons so they will have loads of friends, Please dont kill the babys I know you want a pure line and you cant hit the nail on the the head all the time, dont do this to these babys. Please respond as soon as you get this as I am very ancious to your answer. I think it would be worth a nickle or dime to have them sent to a new home then to the horrow of being culled.





Amanda.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Maybe you can find people who just want them as pets? I think crossbreeds are wonderful, but I do understand not wanting to muck up the breed. Just make it really, really, really clear that they are for pets only.

Maybe you can find a fellow Australian on BYC who would love some cute little pets? Or build them a little coop of their own...can you actually have too many chickens??

 

[Bubba]

Since you have the room why not dabble in making your own breed of chicken?

People like beautiful animals, why kill them.

Off topic,
Do you really live in Oz? Do dingos bother your birds?

Bubba

 

[silkiechicken]

Personally, I would just grow the up and eat them if I couldn't sell them to a pet only family.

 

[bantymum]

Thanks,
Dear silkylovr:, dont worry, ive made up my mind not to cull.
I have found a nice nonshow home for Poko, my adult roo and im confident that the other 3 cockerals will also find a home.

My partner wants organic chook stew, but he isnt getting it here!!!not yet anyway!
The other pullets are really pretty, one is grey with buff points. totally not acceptable colour for shows but she is pretty and thats all that counts!!!the other is black with brown points!!! so ive made up my mind to just have pets and not to bother trying to show, ill have to have just hens now as I cant breed from these,
I did buy 2 whites, 1 cockeral and 1 pullet last week, they were supposed to be pullets but 1 is a cockeral, maybe I can breed from them only and have the others as pets only!!!!
Ill let you know how it all goes.
To Bubba: and no we dont get Dingoes in my part of Australia, and i was thinking that maybe I should start my own colour standard for silkies( harlequins)!!!! sounds nice!

and yes you cant have 2 many chickens, but you can have too many roosters, especially when you live in the city!!!!
hugs

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'd keep em all! LOL
I'd really like to see pics of your silkie/Langshan babies.

 

[bantymum]

Thanks, Spotted crow there is a pic of him in a basket on my personal page "easter baby"!!!
he is a cutiepie.