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

[EM Squared Farms]

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I would bet money on it he means to kill it. In fact, I had to go in the house when he came over to get his chickens I couldn't find homes for. He gave my two sons a first hand lesson in killing chickens with your bare hands (underneath a plastic bag). It was quite horrible. I had to dig the deep hole to bury them.

That always seems like his "go to" solution. I try and find alternative ways first.

 

[EM Squared Farms]

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That's nice to hear.

Do you like her look ?

I don't think I really care for it.

I like the tight walnut comb.

But I guess it's just a trait of the first chickens they used to create the Silkies that comes out/shows up ?

Since my son only had 6 birds and 1 died, he's left with only 4 to try and breed and grow up for his 4H project. Plus he sees his older brother making good money selling all his chickies he's raised.

So, since it's one of my little one's 5 chickens, I think we'll hold onto it for him and not kill it for no good reason (except that it has a single comb - not a trait that deserves death, I feel).

 

[EM Squared Farms]

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Well, some of the Ameraucanas went to a needy Spanish family. I guess I could offer some of the Silkie cockerels next.

I'm actually quite surprised about your Ameraucana comment. But what do you expect ? I understand your definition of an Easter Egger. Unfortunately I have a different definition as do others. We call some of ours Ameraucanas of non-standard colors.

Well, at least your suggestion has some worth. I will offer them as "dinner" after the Ameraucana cockerels are gone. At least I found a home for one tonight at the 4H meeting.

What do you think about the very tiny chickens (like BB Red OEGs or Golden Sebrights) as food ? Is there any such thing as too little of a chicken for food ?

It seems like such a waste to me since they are so little or so beautiful. I couldn't do it.

But we're all allowed to have our opinions and our ways of life.

 

[sjarvis00]

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Well, some of the Ameraucanas went to a needy Spanish family. I guess I could offer some of the Silkie cockerels next.

I'm actually quite surprised about your Ameraucana comment. But what do you expect ? I understand your definition of an Easter Egger. Unfortunately I have a different definition as do others. We call some of ours Ameraucanas of non-standard colors.

Well, at least your suggestion has some worth. I will offer them as "dinner" after the Ameraucana cockerels are gone. At least I found a home for one tonight at the 4H meeting.

What do you think about the very tiny chickens (like BB Red OEGs or Golden Sebrights) as food ? Is there any such thing as too little of a chicken for food ?

It seems like such a waste to me since they are so little or so beautiful. I couldn't do it.

But we're all allowed to have our opinions and our ways of life.

thats the beauty of this lovely hobby, we all have the right to our opinions, and what we consider culling. So long as teh birds are not represented as a breed, or allowed to be used in breed stock that is acceptable to many. Others prefer to insure that the bird will have no opportunity to reproduce, and still be usefull as food stock is one very good use for a cull.

 

[BooBear]

I have a single comb Silkie that I got at TSC in spring. I honestly think he may be mixed as his comb is really really HUGE. I need to get an updated pick as he stopped growing but his comb continued to grow bigger n bigger to where it flopps over. He really reminds me of Eliot (deer) in the Open Season 2 cartoon movie and his huge rack.

Right now he is housed in the bachlor pen with another "extra" boy destined to dinner. I really wanted to find Peaches a new home as he is such a cute little character and have finally scored him a new home with a friend that just got her chicken pen predator proofed. He does not know it yet but sometime this week my friend will be picking him up along with some young ladies (mixed group of frizzle red cochin bantam, beardless Ameraucana (PQ), Blue Wyandotte, and Popeye (young cucko Silkie pullet) that have just started laying (except Popeye as she is only 13 weeks old) so he will have his own little flock all to himself.

So I don't have to worry about eating him; which would be hard at this point cus I have been treating him like a pet even when he is a stinker. He is just fun to mess with.

People eat quail which are really small birds so I don't see a problem eating bantams if you need to. Bantams are just so little n cute that they are too easy to make pets out of.
I raise chickens for eggs, meat, and have some that are more pet due to their stand out want to be by you personalities.
Culling is different for each person; you just do what is best for you n your flock.

About the Judge, well I realize he is a friend, but that was a bit harsh to say kill it. Even though a bird is only pet quality and not show quality he should have been more respectful and considerate in his words about it. That is my 2 cents anyway.

 

[Cattitude]

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Well, some of the Ameraucanas went to a needy Spanish family. I guess I could offer some of the Silkie cockerels next.

I'm actually quite surprised about your Ameraucana comment. But what do you expect ? I understand your definition of an Easter Egger. Unfortunately I have a different definition as do others. We call some of ours Ameraucanas of non-standard colors.

Well, at least your suggestion has some worth. I will offer them as "dinner" after the Ameraucana cockerels are gone. At least I found a home for one tonight at the 4H meeting.

What do you think about the very tiny chickens (like BB Red OEGs or Golden Sebrights) as food ? Is there any such thing as too little of a chicken for food ?

It seems like such a waste to me since they are so little or so beautiful. I couldn't do it.

But we're all allowed to have our opinions and our ways of life.

I don't know if you've heard of Gale Sayers or have read anything about him, but in his autobiography he talked about growing up in "The Toe" - ghetto - where he and his folks were so hungry sometimes that they killed songbirds to eat. My grandmother, who grew up in the coal towns of Kentucky in the early 20th century, did the same thing. I imagine they would have thought an OEG or a Sebright to be a feast!

 

[Illia]

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No such thing as too LITTLE of a chicken, but there is such thing as too SKINNY of a chicken.

OEG's and Sebrights should and often do have some good breast meat on them, and considering they eat the same food to pound conversion an LF fowl would, it is certainly worth it. I'm pretty sure people eat their cull bantam Cornish, and they're just as good of a feast as LF Cornish. As for skinny birds, I just simply don't breed for such, but if I find someone else who wants to get rid of their skinny birds, I'd gladly do the deed for them. It's free food for the dogs, regardles of how much food it really is.

And yes, opinion is where it comes. To me most pet quality Silkies aren't all that attractive, especially the ones with ratty looking feathering, so it's always nice to eat those and keep the pretty ones around, whereas for example most hunters shoot the pretty ones and leave the lesser ones to live.

Besides, my dogs eat more than half the chickens processed around here.

It's healthier they eat that than grain-filled and/or expensive dogfood.

 

[AZBootsie]

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Ok my thoughts:

First, since I don't know your friendly expert judge, I have no clue if he meant to cull or kill. But because you asked for his or her opinion, just grin and bear it. Nod and smile, then do what you want anyway?

In breeding projects not all offspring are going to make the cut. Be it faults or just too many Roos, not every bird will be placed in the breeding pen. It is just a fact. Plans for culls need to be made before starting any project. With this in mind, all my projects are LF. Extra Pullets go into the laying pen or are given to friends for their flocks. Roos that don't find homes we eat. Processing birds is new to me and not pleasant. But, as an animal owner it is my responsibility. I need to know that the birds are killed humanely and they are not wasted. It would feel wrong to give them to strangers and hope the birds don't suffer. I have shared extra Roosters with friends and neighbors. People that I trusted. I know these Roosters didn't wind up in cock fights, or meet slow deaths.

Everyone finds the most comfortable option for themselves. This is what I can live it.

Best of Luck on whatever you decide to do.

 

[Gresh]

Well, from what expert breeders have told me, you shouldn't have to worry too much about your single-combed Silkie if you cross him with a walnut-combed Silkie. In the chicken genepool, a pure walnut comb is ALWAYS dominant over a single comb. For instance, cross a Leghorn (SC) with a Russian Orloff (WC) and you will get walnut combed offspring. So to cross your male SC Silkie with a female WC Silkie shouldn't be a problem. You'll still get walnut-combed silkies.
I say this not from experience, but because of what a handful of respected breeders have told me. If your Silkie hens don't have a pure walnut comb (i.e. their recent ancestry has SC in it), the cross may not work out perfectly.
Just my thoughts. Hope all goes well.

 

[EM Squared Farms]

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Yeah, I prefer to just keep it as a pet since it's my little one's one black silkie out of 6. He's only 5 yrs. old. I wouldn't do that to his pets/4H project.

Now, the other plentiful cockerels, they are a different story.

Need to come up with some solutions.