Silkie saga

[2ndTink]

The Snow Pack is still not individually named, these are my oldest chicks ever to not have names the problem is 3 I can't tell apart easily, if I can catch a glimpse, 1 of the 3 has wattle growth already at 6 weeks old (oh no!). One thing I've noticed is the fourth one is extra fluffy, it's tail is a round fluff and the shape of its crest is more rounded as well. The other three have more of a V tail and crest. I'm hoping this doesn't mean I have 3 cockerels and 1 pullet. If it does, I think I'll keep 1 silkie roo. I know they are still too young to know for sure, I'd love to have at least 2 pullets, but straight run doesn't always mean 50/50 especially when you only buy 4, I guess the solution to that in the future is to buy at least 10 at a time

If I do keep a roo, would it be beneficial to keep the early developing one, as maybe he would pass that trait on to his offspring so it would be easier to determine pullets from cockerels in future generations? If so, maybe I could hatch out some silkie chicks and sell started sexed chicks at 6 to 8 weeks old? That seems too easy, and I'm sure if it was that easy everyone would be doing it

I'll track their development on here over the next few months.

 

[2ndTink]

I spent several hours yesterday remodeling their coop and got them moved from their grow out porch to their newly updated digs. We have an 8'x8' raised coop that had been divided down the middle when we had guineas, lately I had 3 BRs on the one side and used the other side as a bachelor pad for the rooster. A few weeks ago I moved the BRs into my original prefab coop that I expanded two years ago with my 5 remaining OG girls.

I moved the partition so the rooster has a 4x4 corner and the new flock will have the other 3/4s. Since I'll have 11 chickens in the coop now I needed to add more roosting space and make more room to fit their nesting boxes, and then the heated water base and feed for the winter. I crammed it all in with just the 3 hens, but I don't see it working with 11. I had to cut a new access door into the quarter, I managed to scrounge random hardware from the shop to make this a $0 change. It's, um... creative? But it works.

I thought I was making pretty straight cuts with the Sawzall, until I got out and looked at my handiwork from the outside. Nothing a little trim board can't hide (when I get time, in the future) neither my dad nor my husband said anything about my mods being good, they were pretty silent about it all when I showed them my final product just because I can run power tools doesn't mean I'm a carpenter

 

[2ndTink]

My older flocks "escaped" their coops when I refilled all the waterers tonight so were happily milling around the backyard eating away. I couldn't just leave the Littles and the Snow Pack locked up so let them out too they had a blast running around, doing little hop fights, and eating everything. When I finished chores I wanted to get them back in their coop, the bigger girls I trust to find their way back for bedtime, but the Littles are just too little for me to feel confident about. Plus our youngest cat sometimes tries to chase them so I have to yell at him *Smokejump, knock it off go pick on a chicken your own size!* it took a good bit of wrangling, trying to get the older chickens out of the Little's run, and the Littles in. After several failed attempts, I finally got all but 1 silkie in the run, I was at the run gate, the chick was about 15 feet behind me, and the cat another 5 feet past the chick.

Since I didn't have any other help I figured Smokejump would have to do, so I told him to get around. He lined up to the chick, slinked down, did his butt wiggle and sprang toward the chick. The chick ran right passed me and into the run all the while cussing the cat out

So apparently my cat knows herding commands now. This should really come in helpful, he's already a great help putting eggs into cartons.

PS: no, I'm not ok with him chasing my chickens, just a funny story of coincidence.

 

[theoldchick]

Congrats on your new chicks!

 

[TwoCrows]

Fig thinks she's a silkie too, or is it that she is a prima dona and wants a silkie pillow?

So cute! They all look so snuggly together.

 

[TwoCrows]

The one chick has an extra big floof for a tail, I know they're straight run but I'm hoping for all pullets not that I need 4 hens going broody, I already have a very stubborn broody Black Australorp that is afraid of chicks.

I gave them a dandelion flower and the silkies were shrieking over it this morning one also chittered me out last night when I made them mash, I usually make it in the house and take it out, but last night I took all the stuff to the porch. I'm pretty sure it was yelling "how dare you put water on my food!", but immediately forgot it was upset and dug right in.

It's difficult to sex Silkies, sometimes you have to just wait and see who crows and who lays an egg. Super cuteness in your photos!!

 

[2ndTink]

Maintaining the floofs is time consuming and requires much preening and sunbathing

 

[TwoCrows]

The Snow Pack is still not individually named, these are my oldest chicks ever to not have names the problem is 3 I can't tell apart easily, if I can catch a glimpse, 1 of the 3 has wattle growth already at 6 weeks old (oh no!). One thing I've noticed is the fourth one is extra fluffy, it's tail is a round fluff and the shape of its crest is more rounded as well. The other three have more of a V tail and crest. I'm hoping this doesn't mean I have 3 cockerels and 1 pullet. If it does, I think I'll keep 1 silkie roo. I know they are still too young to know for sure, I'd love to have at least 2 pullets, but straight run doesn't always mean 50/50 especially when you only buy 4, I guess the solution to that in the future is to buy at least 10 at a time

If I do keep a roo, would it be beneficial to keep the early developing one, as maybe he would pass that trait on to his offspring so it would be easier to determine pullets from cockerels in future generations? If so, maybe I could hatch out some silkie chicks and sell started sexed chicks at 6 to 8 weeks old? That seems too easy, and I'm sure if it was that easy everyone would be doing it

I'll track their development on here over the next few months.

They sure are pretty no matter the sex.

I spent several hours yesterday remodeling their coop and got them moved from their grow out porch to their newly updated digs. We have an 8'x8' raised coop that had been divided down the middle when we had guineas, lately I had 3 BRs on the one side and used the other side as a bachelor pad for the rooster. A few weeks ago I moved the BRs into my original prefab coop that I expanded two years ago with my 5 remaining OG girls.

I moved the partition so the rooster has a 4x4 corner and the new flock will have the other 3/4s. Since I'll have 11 chickens in the coop now I needed to add more roosting space and make more room to fit their nesting boxes, and then the heated water base and feed for the winter. I crammed it all in with just the 3 hens, but I don't see it working with 11. I had to cut a new access door into the quarter, I managed to scrounge random hardware from the shop to make this a $0 change. It's, um... creative? But it works.

I thought I was making pretty straight cuts with the Sawzall, until I got out and looked at my handiwork from the outside. Nothing a little trim board can't hide (when I get time, in the future) neither my dad nor my husband said anything about my mods being good, they were pretty silent about it all when I showed them my final product just because I can run power tools doesn't mean I'm a carpenter

Looks good to me! I've learned that it doesn't have to look good as long as it does the job.

 

[2ndTink]

He knows he's special

 

[2ndTink]

I think this is my only female, no wattles and the biggest head poof of the crew.