KILL IT is never something you want to hear about your chickens !

[EM Squared Farms]

Recently my older son discovered that one of his little brother's black silkies has a single comb, not the usual walnut comb (I think he even posted a pic on here - if you haven't seen it, it's on the website under "more..." and under the "Hilarious Animal Pics". My younger son only has 5 black silkies he's working with for his 4H project this year.

After consulting our expert poultry judge friend, he motioned the finger across the neck gesture (symbolizing to kill it).

Just because someone recommends it doesn't mean you have to do it.

We will probably move him in with the layers to be "a unique pet".

There's already a small bb red OEG rooster in there with the layers. He's there in case he'll beat up my son's show quality dubbed bb red OEG rooster and their offspring.

My younger son will eventually breed his black silkies, so it's a good idea to remove the single combed black silkie cockerel. Then he will only have 4. Let's hope he has some pullets and cockerels in the mix.

We could always put him in the "roosters for sale" pen, but no many want any roosters. We still have 5 more blue silkie cockerels to sell.

So, this sounds like a good plan. Keep him as our own "unique pet", not to be bred and pass along his undesirable single comb.

I don't believe in killing something, unless it's for a good reason (for euthanasia, or to eliminate a predator - I wouldn't kill it - I would ask my husband to).

Anyone else out there with a single combed silkie ? What do you do with it ? Please don't tell me you kill it. (I guess if you're a silkie breeder, it doesn't do you much good). But breeders are allowed to keep chickens as their own personal pets, not always as breeding stock). I've found out breeders even like to play around with hybrids !

Thanks for your thoughts ~

 

[Cattitude]

A lot of folks think cull = kill; it *doesn't*! What you plan to do - remove him from your breeders and put him in with the laying flock - is one way to cull. I'm glad you've given it some thought and found a plan that works for you and your son!

 

[chickendales]

there are people who like silkies as pets and some cultures eat them

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Silkies are not a breed I like to eat so when I cull one I sell it to someone who wants a nice back yard pet. Often if someone wants to buy just pullets for their yard I give them a roo for free. They realize how wonderful a roo is in with some hens and often are happy with the free addition.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! I've read about your "expert poultry judge friend" in your prior posts.
I would take the * finger across the neck gesture * as a sign that the bird shouldn't be in the breeding pen --- and nothing else.
I see no reason to kill anything unless I plan to eat it.

Lisa

 

[Lady Chickadee]

I have a single combed silkie hen who I just have as a pet instead of breeding her.

 

[Illia]

I'm sorry, I'm not a Silkie breeder, don't have any as pets, and I still find them to be good food. A lady down the road from me breeds Silkies, and she doesn't "kill" hers, she lends them to me to do the deed, and I find them just as edible as any other chicken.

Personally I think if your judge should make a comment on birds around you though, they're your Easter Eggers, but that's my opinion.

But as others say, he just means cull it. Doesn't mean kill it, just means remove it from showing or breeding. A Silkie really should not have a single comb. And I'm also sorry but families need to eat. I often kill chickens on my property that are of little use, and it's better to do that then sell them to someone else who's gonna kill it when it stops laying. We all die at some point, it's best death be quick, and be put to use. Ours feed the family and also feed the dogs.

 

[EM Squared Farms]

Quote:
I'm pretty sure the gesture of the finger across the throat was meant to indicate "kill it" especially knowing who it was coming from !

That's always my last resort (killing something). It's never going to happen by my hands. My husband I can't speak for.

Now, I have the problem of a couple BB Red cockerels with white in their wing feathers (no good to sell for show birds). What to do with these ? They are way too little to offer a needy family as dinner.

All the reject roosters can't all live in the layer pen !

Any thoughts ? I dread the day my husband is going to teach my son how to shoot a bird in the back of the head. It just breaks my heart. It seems so cruel and unjust. They're little - they don't eat too much...

 

[EM Squared Farms]

Quote:
Believe me, I know.....my mother is from Taiwan. They are the "black skinned" chickens. Not sure if they are "black boned chickens" too.

Do you know ?

I saw it on one of those traveling cooking channels when they visited Asian countries and their food - a black skinned chicken. It seems large though, not a small bantam Silkie.

Maybe there are other black skinned chickens ?

 

[EM Squared Farms]

Quote:
Most people who want to have just pullets (are kind of not supposed to have chickens) depending on which town they live in. Some just don't want to upset their neighbors with a crowing rooster.

I used to get annoyed at the neighbor's chickens crowing so early in the morning, but now that we have some, I guess you get used to it as your own personal "natural" alarm clock.

I'll try...we have mostly cockerels left to sell/give away. One friend at 4H will take one of our Ameraucana cockerels as long as he is "nice" in personality. I think we have one nice one out of the 6. My son gave away the mean ones to the needy spanish family that came to get some dinner.