(Mini Project) Rainbow Laying Silkies.

[MysteryChicken]

Calm, Friendly, Easy to Tame Temperament
More Silkie feathering including feathered feet
Broodiness
Consistent layers

Here's a picture of my current silkie/barred rock cross hen - my inspiration.
Her dad was a buff silkie so she has the red highlights characteristic of all his chicks. I took him out of the mix for this hatch to see what color combo we'd get from my splash silkie roosters instead. I especially like her face - all tiny and round and a little fluffy up top. She's certainly not a "boring all black hen" like one of my easter Eggers.

Not all silkies are easy to tame from my experience.

The tamest of them all are the SQ Silkies, those are bred specifically for being overly friendly, which actually interferes with intelligence abit. I have a rooster that bites, but doesn't attack, that's from Showstock though. Not the most well behaved, but he's not terrible.


For consistent layers, you want to lessen the broody trait alittle.

 

[Humble Shack Farm]

Not all silkies are easy to tame from my experience.

The tamest of them all are the SQ Silkies, those are bred specifically for being overly friendly, which actually interferes with intelligence abit. I have a rooster that bites, but doesn't attack, that's from Showstock though. Not the most well behaved, but he's not terrible.


For consistent layers, you want to lessen the broody trait alittle.

Makes sense. I have already built up a breeding flock of silkies that are all friendly. One of them has even been clicker trained, LOL. The newest ones are especially easy to handle. My barred rocks are also friendly and curious. I know that the end result of how friendly the chicken is will also depend on how much time we spend with them and interact with them as chicks and pullets.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Makes sense. I have already built up a breeding flock of silkies that are all friendly. One of them has even been clicker trained, LOL. The newest ones are especially easy to handle. My barred rocks are also friendly and curious. I know that the end result of how friendly the chicken is will also depend on how much time we spend with them and interact with them as chicks and pullets.

I keep my silkies half wild, makes them better foragers. Still tame enough to handle though. Girls will be a bit flappy, & wiggly sometimes.

The extra friendly girls rarely put up a fight when picked up.


My Barred Rocks are also friendly, & easy to handle. Mine are big teddy bears.

 

[Chikyboy]

View attachment 2815417Project will begin next year. Most likely in early summer.

On the chart it shows that if you cross a f1 OE with f1 or f2 OE, you get lots of different colors, which could save you lots of time, but you can do whatever you want, your chickens, your choice

 

[Chikyboy]

On the chart it shows that if you cross a f1 OE with f1 or f2 OE, you get lots of different colors, which could save you lots of time, but you can do whatever you want, your chickens, your choice

it will also be easier to get egg colors that are harder to get with crossing

 

[MysteryChicken]

On the chart it shows that if you cross a f1 OE with f1 or f2 OE, you get lots of different colors, which could save you lots of time, but you can do whatever you want, your chickens, your choice

I only have that up for example.

I need to get another black Copper Marans, my first died of a heart attack.

 

[Chikyboy]

Ok

 

[Chikyboy]

I only have that up for example.

I need to get another black Copper Marans, my first died of a heart attack.

I want some BCM, mainly for there egg color.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I want some BCM, mainly for there egg color.

That's the reason I got mine. Just wish I knew what freaked her out so badly.

 

[Angel07]

Following. I’d love to do a breeding project myself but mum and dad have limited me to a certain number of chickens and ducks so I’ve gotta breed purebred so that people will want them. That’ll be one of the first things I do when I get my own farm.