Silkie thread!

[gambit2178]

Hello again...

 

[gambit2178]

I feel I must warn you.

A year and a half ago I brought home a few silkies from the feedstore to hopefully have as broodies. I soon found myself spending all my extra time watching the little fluff balls. Then I went on line and saw the show silkies! I threw all caution to the wind and bought two dozen eggs to hatch! Now they are having babies!!! Did you ever watch the old Star Trek show about Tribbles??? Let's just say "chicken math"...

Please show off pictures of your babies!

I can relate to you. It was in March 2010, when my now Ex, planned on trowing away 6 eggs that had been in the incubator for almost 2 weeks, I decided to keep the eggs and then the chicks for him, well for him alright...we broke up few months later, in the mist of the breakup I placed an add on CL, FREE TO GREAT HOMES. I received over 80 emails, but I just couldn't let them go my 7 girls were my world and they made me so happy that I said no...I love my chickens. Fast foward a year, now my babies are still my babies with more babies. I love my silkies.

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[Tikkijane]

No, I don't know any silkie breeder who would say they are a true bantam. In the US, there are only bantam silkies recognised. Occasionally you will hear about someone trying to breed largefowl silkies. In most other countries they have both largefowl and bantam silkies. Their bantams tend to be a bit smaller than ours, their largefowl a bit larger; which fits with the weights you've posted.

A while back someone posted photos of her VERY large silkies (around 10 lb!) Definitely an armful.

I wonder why the large fowl haven't made it over here...... I have seen all kinds of sites, though, that state something along the lines of silkies being one of the only true bantams because they don't have a large fowl counterpart. Sheesh. Thanks for the clarification- they do exist, just not in the US.........

 

[2hot2chicken]

That is what juvenile partridge plumage looks like.



This last one is not silkied

The striping very much resembles the patterns in the 1st 2 pictures only the colors are a lot more pale and the striping is a lot more defined and it goes up the neck, back and chest and even on the tail...... I have broncitis or something right now and I just couldn't make it out to catch the little bugger today. I was lucky enough to make it out to the coop to let them out to their run and I just left the run door open so the could freerange all day and boy were they happy..... If I feel up to it I will try tomorrow when I let them out. It definatly isn't going to be a true partridge if that is what it is. I'm thinking maybe silver partridge? It is more of a gray color from a distance than a brown. My DH asked me the other day why I brought home another chicken? Its huge for its age and is very fluffy almost round and has really nice foot feathering for its age to. DH thought it was a couple months old, not a few weeks. He couldn't believe that was the little runty chick I hatched. LOL

 

[chisNchickens]

Thanks for the pics - looks like fun! Can't wait, my first show is next month! Your boy is adorable.

Okay, I got some of our show pictures uploaded. I'll try to keep it down to just a few, I'd love to post everything! LOL


This is before the show and the 4-H building we had our little show in:

 

[mama2my4]

What tips would you all give to a new silkie enthusiast? (that would be me...)

 

[Hawkeye95]

Thanks for the pics - looks like fun! Can't wait, my first show is next month! Your boy is adorable.

Thank you! Good luck with your upcoming show! Our next one is in 2 weeks! Then there's one the week right after that-- we're going to be drowning in shows. There is actually one this weekend too-- but I decided I had to pick out the places that were a bit closer. (it's another 3 hour drive like this one was). The next two shows coming up are only about 1.5 hours away, much easier! What are you going to show? We only showed the two silkies (the best out of what we have). But since we'll be doing closer shows, thinking about bringing along a couple WCB Polish too... but we'll see! We have a nice Royal Palm jenny, but the ends of her tail feathers have gotten a bit shredded from getting in and out of the nesting box. I'm back and forth on bothering bringing her to the next one. I really love the Silkies-- they are so calm and easy to manage since they are small and who can resist all that fluff??

 

[peepblessed]

What tips would you all give to a new silkie enthusiast? (that would be me...)

Start small. Buy only quality eggs or birds.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Start small. Buy only quality eggs or birds.

Agreed, save your money up and put that into quality started birds or chicks from a reputable silkie breeder. You may benefit from joining the American Silkie Bantam Club for a Roster list of club members and breeders with contact information.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Agreed, save your money up and put that into quality started birds or chicks from a reputable silkie breeder. You may benefit from joining the American Silkie Bantam Club for a Roster list of club members and breeders with contact information.

Yup I agree. Also, do lots of research on breeders that your looking at purchasing from. Join the ASBC. You get 4 newsletters a year, the latest Yearbook with contact info for breeders, and access to the online forum. http://www.americansilkiebantamclub.org/


Are you looking to breed/show or for pets?