Silkie saga

[TwoCrows]

Nu and Heavy somehow ended up in the pullers coop today, I now have fertilized eggs (I got 5, checked 1 and it was fertile) now I'm trying to talk myself out of hatching the eggs I gather this week. Nu and Heavy go to their new home Friday. I have 1 silkie egg, 1 EE, and 2 SLW eggs, and whatever else is laid this week, I could very easily just plug in the incubator (the opposite one from what I used this summer, hopefully it will regulate the temperature better), it would all just be quite simple to just end up with eggs all cozy and warm... the EE crosses could be cool, and I don't need more white silkies, but I mean, someone might want them. bad idea, but it's actually a good idea... hubby didn't say no, but we also have no where to keep more chicks. Except I would have until the start of Jan to have to figure that out. 3 weeks in the 'bator, 6 to 8 weeks in the brooder, then mayne out to the porch? Jan and Feb are our absolute coldest months, but the porch and a heat lamp, maybe they'd be ok.

Ugh, probably too much stress to deal with all this through the winter.

You could do another hatch just for the knowledge of it and then give the chicks away? Every hatch is a learning experience and helps you understand more. It may be hard to give away chicks this time of year though.

This said, maybe you should take a break from hatching or even thinking about it till your life feels lighter on you?

 

[2ndTink]

You could do another hatch just for the knowledge of it and then give the chicks away? Every hatch is a learning experience and helps you understand more. It may be hard to give away chicks this time of year though.

This said, maybe you should take a break from hatching or even thinking about it till your life feels lighter on you?

I would love to do a practice hatch before setting silkie eggs in the spring, but the more I think about it, I don't think I'm going to set these eggs. I may post them for sale locally in case anyone else is interested. Pretty cheap since I won't be able to guarantee they are all fertile, they will mostly be mutts (silkies will only be pet quality), and they are pullet size eggs still. The SLWs and EEs have been laying for at least 2 months, maybe 3, but they are still basically silkie egg sized.

Hatching random mix breeds does not align with my goal of breeding high quality silkies, and I don't think they would be spectacular layers, especially if they only lay small eggs.

Maybe I will set some practice eggs in early Jan so they will be indoors through our coldest months. That would be much better, and if I hatch layer breeds that will get my laying flock built back up since my older girls have retired, then I can justofy hatching.

Thank you for encouraging reason!

 

[TwoCrows]

I would love to do a practice hatch before setting silkie eggs in the spring, but the more I think about it, I don't think I'm going to set these eggs. I may post them for sale locally in case anyone else is interested. Pretty cheap since I won't be able to guarantee they are all fertile, they will mostly be mutts (silkies will only be pet quality), and they are pullet size eggs still. The SLWs and EEs have been laying for at least 2 months, maybe 3, but they are still basically silkie egg sized.

Hatching random mix breeds does not align with my goal of breeding high quality silkies, and I don't think they would be spectacular layers, especially if they only lay small eggs.

Maybe I will set some practice eggs in early Jan so they will be indoors through our coldest months. That would be much better, and if I hatch layer breeds that will get my laying flock built back up since my older girls have retired, then I can justofy hatching.

Thank you for encouraging reason!

Selling them sounds like a wonderful idea! Most people are looking for "pet quality" birds, at least from what I can tell hanging around BYC. This way they don't go to waste and you don't have to feel you should hatch them. Store them in an egg carton, large end up, in a place of around 60°F. Give them a twist once or twice a day to keep the yolk from settling. Let me know if they sell!

 

[2ndTink]

Selling them sounds like a wonderful idea! Most people are looking for "pet quality" birds, at least from what I can tell hanging around BYC. This way they don't go to waste and you don't have to feel you should hatch them. Store them in an egg carton, large end up, in a place of around 60°F. Give them a twist once or twice a day to keep the yolk from settling. Let me know if they sell!

I'll let you know for sure if they sell! I'll give them a twist, I've been tilting them twice a day but I was going to look up all the proper storage techniques today to be sure. I was going to add a thermometer next to them too to keep an eye on that.

 

[TwoCrows]

I'll let you know for sure if they sell! I'll give them a twist, I've been tilting them twice a day but I was going to look up all the proper storage techniques today to be sure. I was going to add a thermometer next to them too to keep an eye on that.

Tilting the eggs is good too, anything to keep the fluids inside the egg loose. Definitely try to keep the eggs below 68°, (60° if you can, ) higher temps can start them developing. Good luck with the sale!

 

[2ndTink]

Tilting the eggs is good too, anything to keep the fluids inside the egg loose. Definitely try to keep the eggs below 68°, (60° if you can, ) higher temps can start them developing. Good luck with the sale!

I've been tilting and twisting the eggs, no interest from anyone to purchase them, so I'll likely just pass them along as eating eggs. The side room is typically around 60 to 65, it was oddly hot outside the other day and I saw it was 72!?! Still good practice being aware of what the room temperature is and what I need to do to care for hatching eggs.

We put off taking Nu and Heavy and the two gimpies to the lady until today. We'll get the boys caught later on today, that should be fun

The chocolates are caching up in size to the others, Frida is just as big, Frey is just slightly smaller, and little Fray isn't far behind her. They still sleep in the brooder box, bight before last one gave me a scare, I went outside to check on them ans one was flopped in the brooder doorway with its head stretched out in front of it, of course not moving but it was just sleeping

Last night it got cold quickly and they all snuggled down in the box. The older chicks are piled up together, and the chocolates are the smart ones using the lamp Frida and Fray are getting really great head poofs. Freya has a more upright poof and a slightly darker color.

 

[TwoCrows]

I've been tilting and twisting the eggs, no interest from anyone to purchase them, so I'll likely just pass them along as eating eggs. The side room is typically around 60 to 65, it was oddly hot outside the other day and I saw it was 72!?! Still good practice being aware of what the room temperature is and what I need to do to care for hatching eggs.

We put off taking Nu and Heavy and the two gimpies to the lady until today. We'll get the boys caught later on today, that should be fun

The chocolates are caching up in size to the others, Frida is just as big, Frey is just slightly smaller, and little Fray isn't far behind her. They still sleep in the brooder box, bight before last one gave me a scare, I went outside to check on them ans one was flopped in the brooder doorway with its head stretched out in front of it, of course not moving but it was just sleeping

Last night it got cold quickly and they all snuggled down in the box. The older chicks are piled up together, and the chocolates are the smart ones using the lamp Frida and Fray are getting really great head poofs. Freya has a more upright poof and a slightly darker color.

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You will probably have an easier time with selling hatching eggs in the spring? But it never hurts to try.

Give Nu a big hug for me before you rehome him, I still wish I lived closer to you, I'd love to welcome him into my coop, he's a doll! ❤

Aww....those babies are simply adorable! So Fluffy! (Just like my silly avatar. It's a bit immature but heck, I can be too, so.....) The first time I saw a bird sun bathing (it was actually one of my quail) I thought it was having a stroke! I was sure it was dying! What we learn keeping poultry.... Glad your little one is ok! Chicks sleeping in the brooder still scare me.

Well enjoy your day! Hugs to all!

 

[2ndTink]

You will probably have an easier time with selling hatching eggs in the spring? But it never hurts to try.

Give Nu a big hug for me before you rehome him, I still wish I lived closer to you, I'd love to welcome him into my coop, he's a doll! ❤

Aww....those babies are simply adorable! So Fluffy! (Just like my silly avatar. It's a bit immature but heck, I can be too, so.....) The first time I saw a bird sun bathing (it was actually one of my quail) I thought it was having a stroke! I was sure it was dying! What we learn keeping poultry.... Glad your little one is ok! Chicks sleeping in the brooder still scare me.

Well enjoy your day! Hugs to all!

I wish there was an affordable and safe way to ship chickens, like they have horse transporters. Not that shipping a horse is cheap, but it sure is safer than stuffing a chicken in a box and hoping USPS doesn't lose it or shake it to death.

I'm sure Nu will protest, but I'll Gove him a hug from you!

I love your avatar! Being silly at least once per week should be a requirement

 

[2ndTink]

Well, I took the 4 silkies to their new home yesterday. The boys have a huge fenced yard and will be free ranging it with a flock of lovely silkie ladies and one showgirl. They had some silkie crosses with maybe Seabright? I'm not sure, but they were tiny little things and super adorable!

The boys were so good during the ride, they didn't make a peep, just laid quietly in their box.

Here they are checking out their new home.




They had a turkey that followed us around everywhere, it was a little unnerving, I've never been around turkeys and this boy would get about 3 feet away and just stare and move his tail back and forth. I don't speak turkey!


Here is Cracker Jack, I was trying to get a photo of how long his foot feathers are. They're almost as wide as he is long


Little Fray wasn't herself this morning, I think she's worked up a vitamin deficiency so I popped a Vit E and D into her and some Poultry Cell and I'll do that twice a day for at least 2 weeks, I have to double check on the Vit D, maybe that will be once / day. I stopped making them mash for breakfast about 2 weeks ago, I'd always add Poultry Cell or Fertrells Breeder supplement to it. So, I'll go back to their daily mash and they will be sooooo happy.

 

[TwoCrows]

Well, I took the 4 silkies to their new home yesterday. The boys have a huge fenced yard and will be free ranging it with a flock of lovely silkie ladies and one showgirl. They had some silkie crosses with maybe Seabright? I'm not sure, but they were tiny little things and super adorable!

The boys were so good during the ride, they didn't make a peep, just laid quietly in their box.

Here they are checking out their new home.
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They had a turkey that followed us around everywhere, it was a little unnerving, I've never been around turkeys and this boy would get about 3 feet away and just stare and move his tail back and forth. I don't speak turkey!
View attachment 3682017

Here is Cracker Jack, I was trying to get a photo of how long his foot feathers are. They're almost as wide as he is long
View attachment 3682018

Little Fray wasn't herself this morning, I think she's worked up a vitamin deficiency so I popped a Vit E and D into her and some Poultry Cell and I'll do that twice a day for at least 2 weeks, I have to double check on the Vit D, maybe that will be once / day. I stopped making them mash for breakfast about 2 weeks ago, I'd always add Poultry Cell or Fertrells Breeder supplement to it. So, I'll go back to their daily mash and they will be sooooo happy.

Awww.....looks like the boys have a lovely home now! ❤ It's always satisfying in the heart to know they are going to a good home where they are wanted and will be cared for properly.

Yes, Turkeys are huge birds and can be intimidating! I've never kept Turkeys either but a friend of mine does. She keeps a lot of them, her favorite poultry breed. I am unsure of the Toms too so I do my best to avoid them. That one in your photo is raising his feathers, he was watching you!

Wow, Cracker Jack has HUGE feet feathers, maybe you should have named him Sasquatch. He is a beautiful boy, love his markings! ❤

Oh I am sorry little Fray isn't doing well today! Be careful with the Vitamin D, it can be toxic at high levels, Im not 100% sure of the exact dose for chickens but just be aware. Vitamin E can be used well over the prescribed levels however. I'd stick with the Poultry Cell and added Vitamin E. I hope she gets to feeling better soon!

Enjoy your day!