people with house chickens

[Sylvester017]

Thanks and I have heard some wyndottes get combs + wattles early so fingers crosses. But my mom finally talked my dad into letting everyone take on another chick later this month just in case Topaz is a boy. If not the other chick will go live at a friends.

Topaz is also still such a sweet thing no cockerel aggression so far. Just turned 6 weeks.

6 weeks is still pretty young to ID a chicken with mixed heritage. Give Topaz some time to develop. Always good to have options for re-homing. I have one option that accepts unwanted roos or spent hens and gives them a forever home (no chicken dinners!) That is really a wonderful and rare person who does that.

 

[Ponyfeather]

6 weeks is still pretty young to ID a chicken with mixed heritage.  Give Topaz some time to develop.  Always good to have options for re-homing.  I have one option that accepts unwanted roos or spent hens and gives them a forever home (no chicken dinners!)  That is really a wonderful and rare person who does that.

Thankfully the local feed store will rehome roosters and if they can't find good homes they are taken to a sanctuary. They aren't people that just let them go off to be chicken dinner. But also thank you for the reassurance.

Can I ask you about silkie development? Because topaz is part dad is part, how I know is a Topaz got his vaulted skull and feathered feet and personality. Because I wonder how quickly they get them, Topaz has a very silky looking comb from my research. A combs and wattles that is.

 

[Sylvester017]

Thankfully the local feed store will rehome roosters and if they can't find good homes they are taken to a sanctuary. They aren't people that just let them go off to be chicken dinner. But also thank you for the reassurance.

Can I ask you about silkie development? Because topaz is part dad is part, how I know is a Topaz got his vaulted skull and feathered feet and personality. Because I wonder how quickly they get them, Topaz has a very silky looking comb from my research. A combs and wattles that is.

How a pure Silkie develops and how a cross-breed Silkie develops can be 2 separate descriptions and since I only have purebreds I couldn't really help you with that. I only know that with purebred Silkies they can develop at different rates as to size, weight, POL, crowing, maturity - it's pretty much all over the page but that's the way Silkies are. EEs and Ameraucanas are a bit more consistent in their development except that they are slower to mature than other LF. Topaz is going to be a surprise to all of us by 6 months!

 

[Ponyfeather]

How a pure Silkie develops and how a cross-breed Silkie develops can be 2 separate descriptions and since I only have purebreds I couldn't really help you with that.  I only know that with purebred Silkies they can develop at different rates as to size, weight, POL, crowing, maturity - it's pretty much all over the page but that's the way Silkies are.  EEs and Ameraucanas are a bit more consistent in their development except that they are slower to mature than other LF.  Topaz is going to be a surprise to all of us by 6 months!

Actually she is likely Wynndotte not Easter Egger. As she is getting older she is has almost identically patterned to the red laced Wynndotte in the pen. Also she is developing the fluffiness of a Wynndotte I guess the fluffy face maybe came from dad? But you are right Ihave feeling we aren't going to know if Topaz is a boy or girl until around 6 months old. x_x

 

[Sylvester017]

Actually she is likely Wynndotte not Easter Egger. As she is getting older she is has almost identically patterned to the red laced Wynndotte in the pen. Also she is developing the fluffiness of a Wynndotte I guess the fluffy face maybe came from dad? But you are right Ihave feeling we aren't going to know if Topaz is a boy or girl until around 6 months old. x_x

So Topaz has the feathery legs and Silkie crest - how many toes?

 

[Ponyfeather]

So Topaz has the feathery legs and Silkie crest - how many toes?

Only 4, but she got a vaulted skull like some Silkies do. It scared me I thought she had a growth on top of her head! It is funny what expresses gene wise. Her sister from another oops hatch has black skin but looks like an Easter Egger. Which I guess is her mom. But I really looked at Topaz's sister and looking at the muff she has I think dad must have the genetics for it because it looked fuller than the two EE in the flock.

 

[Sylvester017]

Only 4, but she got a vaulted skull like some Silkies do. It scared me I thought she had a growth on top of her head! It is funny what expresses gene wise. Her sister from another oops hatch has black skin but looks like an Easter Egger. Which I guess is her mom. But I really looked at Topaz's sister and looking at the muff she has I think dad must have the genetics for it because it looked fuller than the two EE in the flock.

I don't raise Silkies but have a couple hens for 4 yrs so I read the Silkie BYC thread quite a bit. My understanding with Silkies is that they should be protected from head injuries and especially the vaulted skulls - the vault is cute but also more vulnerable. If Topaz winds up looking more like a Silkie but with the Wyan feathers that will be a pretty bird. I've seen Cochin-Silkie crosses (usually with the useless 5 toes) so having a Silkie-Wyan feather pattern w/o the 5 toes should be a nice finish. I'm hoping Topaz will inherit the Silkie temperament because Wyans are prone to dominance but if s/he is a solitary pet w/no companion to dominate it's moot. A Silkie-Ameraucana(or EE) cross would be a gentle temperament but with dual-purpose breeds like RIR, Wyans, BRs, Marans, Legs, etc, these can be bossy temperaments. Some ppl like spunky breeds but after mixing spunky LF with our Silkies and Ameraucana we decided to re-home the aggressive dual-purpose birds for the gentler Silkie, Ameraucana, Breda flock in our backyard - less large eggs but also less political drama queens! LOL

 

[pattyhen]

I started reading this thread from day 1 and then I got up to about page 57. I am very curious to know if anybody has heard from iluvcks who started the thread? She was battling with the township to keep her chickens. I kept hoping to hear if she got to keep her chickens. There were no more posts from her saying anything.

Thanks,

Patty

 

[Sylvester017]

I started reading this thread from day 1 and then I got up to about page 57. I am very curious to know if anybody has heard from iluvcks who started the thread? She was battling with the township to keep her chickens. I kept hoping to hear if she got to keep her chickens. There were no more posts from her saying anything.

Thanks,

Patty

A lot of people just drop off and then a year later come back on again - or never do again. It varies. Who knows, @iluvcks may have lost her battle w/her township and too disheartened to continue on this thread. Try a PM to her and see if you get a response. I've PM'd on BYC before and occasionally got no responses but most are good about answering back if their email contact info is up to date.

 

[Ponyfeather]

I don't raise Silkies but have a couple hens for 4 yrs so I read the Silkie BYC thread quite a bit. My understanding with Silkies is that they should be protected from head injuries and especially the vaulted skulls - the vault is cute but also more vulnerable. If Topaz winds up looking more like a Silkie but with the Wyan feathers that will be a pretty bird. I've seen Cochin-Silkie crosses (usually with the useless 5 toes) so having a Silkie-Wyan feather pattern w/o the 5 toes should be a nice finish. I'm hoping Topaz will inherit the Silkie temperament because Wyans are prone to dominance but if s/he is a solitary pet w/no companion to dominate it's moot. A Silkie-Ameraucana(or EE) cross would be a gentle temperament but with dual-purpose breeds like RIR, Wyans, BRs, Marans, Legs, etc, these can be bossy temperaments. Some ppl like spunky breeds but after mixing spunky LF with our Silkies and Ameraucana we decided to re-home the aggressive dual-purpose birds for the gentler Silkie, Ameraucana, Breda flock in our backyard - less large eggs but also less political drama queens! LOL

Well so far she seems to have silkie personality just a little mush ball, but I think she got a bit of dominance. She is very demanding about things at times, she'll mosy likely rule the the dogs in the house they where use to taking orders from Pancake. Yes which I guess it is a good thing I did pull her from her 'Mama' that lost intrest one well aimed peck on the head and there might not have been anymore Topaz.

She really is developing rather quickly at least compared to Pancake. She was a runt though.