Silkie thread!

[ScaredOfShadows]

i just hate that they look so bad my daughter wanted to show the white ones but it does not look like it will happen they are getting all stained with mud poor things look so pitiful they also refuse to use the roost bard in the coop i keeped them locked up for over a week to teach them that is where they sleep and they refuse to go in and sleep and to use the roost how do i get them to go in at night to sleep and use the roost my husband says we need to lower the roost but they have a ladder for them to walk on to get on the roost.

keeping silkies as pets or breeders or during breeding season... Thats different than keeping them in show condition or getting them in condition for show. Especially white silkies. If you plan to show, take them off the ground put in an above ground pen or an indoor coop only. many show folks keep their birds in 2X2 single cages or 2X4 pair cages for show season to keep birds in shape OR to breed specific birds if they don't have the floor room to keep them in covered ground coops/pens. The main thing you have to worry about is the foot feathers being torn up - even a white bird as long as it isn't clay mud - you can get the dirt washed out of them with a few washings of white dog shampoo.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

My silkies are treated like any other chicken...they have partially topped runs, but they love to stay out in the cold rain. I haven't lost one yet, no matter how dirty, icky, and cold and wet they get.

Mine is too!!!

I have 21 chickens (Black and Blue Copper Marans, Cuckoo Marans, B/B Ameraucanas, Olive Eggers, and Ella, my Silkie) growing out in the basement right now!! Oldest are 9 weeks old, youngest are 4 weeks old. More eggs, Blue and Splash SILKIE eggs

going into the incubator on the weekend!

I free-range my birds so they actually stay pretty clean - even when it's wet. I'm nervous about doing that with Silkies ....

 

[stoopid]

BethG. has Silkies right here on this thread, Kate at Golden Egg Farm in Mass, Riverside Silkies on Long Island, LIchick is on Long Island, Magsrags is on Staten Island, BarnGoddess is way upstate NY, Sagers silkies is over the border in Canada,
I have probably missed as many as I have listed, most have B/B/S, and white, try to contact all of these.
I'm not sure if Kate is a member of BYC, but she does have a website.
There is also a show in NJ on May 19, Sussex County Poultry, and Delmarva in Harrington, DE on March 31-April 1.
At least this is a start, good luck.
Roberta

 

[kristip]

ok silkie experts.
When do silkies typically start laying or reach "maturity"? My 2 silkies are 5 months next week. I got them a month ago and their tophats and necks were a little chewed on by an agressive roo. So not sure if I am seeing streamers on my splash or not... But I dont see much of a comb there. I know most silkie roos seem to have a huge comb, so trying to determine where we are at with these two.


Also can you tell me what breeding a splash to a splash would produce? Or what color would you breed a splash to for best results in colors? ( right now I have a white, black and splash with the splash being the one I am not sure about sex on) If it is not a roo, I am going to be acquiring one and wanted to ask about best color for these or for most options.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

BethG. has Silkies right here on this thread, Kate at Golden Egg Farm in Mass, Riverside Silkies on Long Island, LIchick is on Long Island, Magsrags is on Staten Island, BarnGoddess is way upstate NY, Sagers silkies is over the border in Canada,
I have probably missed as many as I have listed, most have B/B/S, and white, try to contact all of these.
I'm not sure if Kate is a member of BYC, but she does have a website.
There is also a show in NJ on May 19, Sussex County Poultry, and Delmarva in Harrington, DE on March 31-April 1.
At least this is a start, good luck.
Roberta

BarnGoddess is in Canada as well (but not far from New York)

(And only has 1 Silkie so far .... but,

more on the way, I hope!)

 

[stoopid]

I heard there is something in the water that affects leg feathering up there....

Only kidding, oh, and Marquisella also has Silkies.
Anyone else want to help out a newbie?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I heard there is something in the water that affects leg feathering up there....

Only kidding, oh, and Marquisella also has Silkies.
Anyone else want to help out a newbie?

Yep, it's our Canadian dew - puts feathers on legs that weren't meant to have them, apparently. (Was an APA judge that told me that although I readily admit - I probably misunderstood but we've certainly gotten alot of mileage out of the story on BYC.

)

(I'm actually meeting up with the guy that told me that story on Saturday. Judging clinic.

I FULLY intend to ask him for clarification!!! So thank you for reminding me!)

 

[Beth G.]

Hi, Some reach laying age a 6 months and others not till they are close to a year. Every bird/breed is different so its really hard to say. Most of mine lay around 7-9 months of age. It's hard to say at five months of age who is a boy and who is a girl. I've had some boys not develop a comb till 7 months like it came outta nowhere over night!!!

as far as breeding splash to splash should give you splash but, it might be a very lighter or diluted splash depending on your current flocks color. Kippenjungle has a great breeder color calculator. I tend to use it for basic breeding color to color questions but, sometimes it really depends on the genetic color backround of the bird itself.

Best Wishes on your newly acquired silkies!!!

ok silkie experts.
When do silkies typically start laying or reach "maturity"? My 2 silkies are 5 months next week. I got them a month ago and their tophats and necks were a little chewed on by an agressive roo. So not sure if I am seeing streamers on my splash or not... But I dont see much of a comb there. I know most silkie roos seem to have a huge comb, so trying to determine where we are at with these two.


Also can you tell me what breeding a splash to a splash would produce? Or what color would you breed a splash to for best results in colors? ( right now I have a white, black and splash with the splash being the one I am not sure about sex on) If it is not a roo, I am going to be acquiring one and wanted to ask about best color for these or for most options.

 

[Beth G.]

Thank for thinking of me Roberta!!!

Kate and I are eagerly awaiting to see who is judging the silkies at Sussex too. If you hear anything will you let me know?

Thanks again!!
Beth

BethG. has Silkies right here on this thread, Kate at Golden Egg Farm in Mass, Riverside Silkies on Long Island, LIchick is on Long Island, Magsrags is on Staten Island, BarnGoddess is way upstate NY, Sagers silkies is over the border in Canada,
I have probably missed as many as I have listed, most have B/B/S, and white, try to contact all of these.
I'm not sure if Kate is a member of BYC, but she does have a website.
There is also a show in NJ on May 19, Sussex County Poultry, and Delmarva in Harrington, DE on March 31-April 1.
At least this is a start, good luck.
Roberta

 

[peepblessed]

I took a picture of my two white girls out in the snow yesterday right at dusk. They kinda just blend into the white!! lol

Really cool shot!!