Silkie thread!

[Hawkeye95]

Other question: how many eggs should I allow them to sit on...? Know silikies can sit on 8-10 right? Think I read somewhere a plymouth ca sit on 10-15. But I'm not to sure.
Right now both girls are sharing a basket... Been trying to get them to lay in separate ones but for some reason they insist on using the same one. Soi hope to be able to divide the eggs and into two and have both of them sit...
Just waiting to see when they will stop laying..
Crossing my fingers....

They will sit on eggs, but they will let you know how many they want. My broody this time only wanted two eggs-- she kicked out any others I put under her. Silkies aren't that big, I don't think I'd go over 5 eggs to start with and make sure she wants them.

 

[peepblessed]

Well, I'll have to see how my other chicks turn out in a couple of days-- but this one that hatched yesterday does not have brachydactyly!! I'm really excited about that! So I guess my pairing may be okay after all? But I guess I'll have to see how the rest of their offspring turn out and what happens with them. Also, this chick had all toes, all toenails AND no fused toes with fairly decent spacing on them. I'm feeling a lot better about my birds I'm using to breed with now... but it's only one chick. I'll be anxious to see how the others turn out. OH the down side is that this chick has really so/so foot feathering. That's really too bad, because everything else was looking so good on it. I'm really bummed about the feathering. Sigh. It's always something, isn't it?

Always!

 

[peepblessed]

How common is split wing? I am worrying over wings, it looks as if several of mine DO have split wing. Most of what
I hatched back in November. I have poured over the images of split wing on the ASBC but still am unsure. I'm not sure
if it is split, or just some missing feathers. I guess I need to shoot the wings and post them.

I have had occurrance of split wing in each batch of several different breeders so I'm thinking it's pretty common. I would not use a bird with split wing in my breeding program and I doubt any of the breeders I purchased from did either. Please show pictures. Some times it's obvious without even spreading the wing. I have a gorgeous girl that I'm using as a broody who has split wing.

 

[TheChicknGarden]

Quote: I didn't think it was really that common. You'll have to post pictures. Spread the wing out completely.


Quote: Sorry about the roo. I've been lost on this "basket" thing... are you calling the nest box a basket, or is there where you are collecting your eggs? I haven't responded, since I had no clue! LOL And if you are leaving eggs out for the hopes that a bird will go broody-- that is a BAD idea!! First of all, you can create egg eaters by leaving eggs out. I would never leave an egg out. I collect them ASAP. If you are hoping someone will go broody, get golf balls or buy the faux eggs online to put in the nest. If an egg breaks and the chickens eat it-- they will start to break into the other eggs and before you know it, you'll have eggs eaten and gone before you can even get out there. Not only that, but the sight of eggs won't make a bird go broody. They just go broody or they don't all on their own time. You'll know it when they do, though! It will look like a massacre happened in the nest box! They will sit in there and they will pluck off all their chest feathers and there will be little fluffy feathers everywhere! And even if there are no eggs in the box-- once they go broody, they are there to stay. After they sit on nothing for a good couple of days, THEN I'd go ahead and stick eggs under them. I left my broody sitting on nothing but chips for a week because she kept getting up and I wasn't sure she'd stick it out.

Lol yes their nesting box is a square basket. I should have clarified that lol sorry. But thanks I got all the eggs... They are safe. How should I store them? Anything in particular i need to do to them while i wait for them to actually go broody? I noticed fluffy feathers today... So hopefully that'll mean she's getting ready to. I wonder if she's gonna lay anymore eggs.... Hmm... I'm eagerly awaiting to see if anyone will lay today. Thanks again

 

[Sanna]

Not necessarily. Although as she lists the label, it is confusing, and might not be real ACV. I get apple cider vinegar, filtered and without the mother and it works just as well as the more expensive organic version with the mother. If it is not made from apples, or if it says FLAVOURED, it is not the real stuff. Virtually all vinegar is diluted to 5% acidity.

The acidity is a part of what is helpful; but the nutrients from the apples are also key.

Maybe I'll give this stuff a try while I hunt for the organic kind. It won't hurt, right?
What was the appropriate amount? About 2 tablespoons per gallon of water?

 

[Sanna]

This was the mystery chick waiting for me today.

What kind of a partridge color would this be?? It has to be some mix of something because we don't own a pure partridge. lol

 

[peepblessed]

This was the mystery chick waiting for me today.

What kind of a partridge color would this be?? It has to be some mix of something because we don't own a pure partridge. lol

Looks grey or silver partridge. Pretty!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Lol yes their nesting box is a square basket. I should have clarified that lol sorry.
But thanks

I got all the eggs... They are safe. How should I store them? Anything in particular i need to do to them while i wait for them to actually go broody? I noticed fluffy feathers today... So hopefully that'll mean she's getting ready to.
I wonder if she's gonna lay anymore eggs.... Hmm... I'm eagerly awaiting to see if anyone will lay today.
Thanks again

I store them no longer than 10 days. I put them in a dark closet that is cooler than the rest of my house. Once summer really hits and our home warms up, I'll be putting them in the basement to keep cool. Just don't put them in the fridge. Fluffy feathers around are normal. What I'm talking about is really obvious-- I'm not kidding, you'll think a chicken exploded. And they only do that AFTER they are sitting on the nest. You won't catch a broody up running around. She'll go sit down and then systematically start pulling out all her feathers. Once she does that, she's there to stay. If she gets up, then she's not really broody. A true broody will sit on nothing. So don't worry about hurrying to get eggs under her-- it won't matter. No need to worry about it or rush. Give her a couple of days to sit there and be sure she's broody before you risk your eggs. And IMO, I'd have an incubator going as backup in case she stops or gives up. That didn't happen with mine, though. The first week, she was only thinking about it-- off and on the nest and not really serious. After that she got serious. Just relax and wait for them to do it. If you have silkies, chances are, they will.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I have had occurrance of split wing in each batch of several different breeders so I'm thinking it's pretty common. I would not use a bird with split wing in my breeding program and I doubt any of the breeders I purchased from did either. Please show pictures. Some times it's obvious without even spreading the wing. I have a gorgeous girl that I'm using as a broody who has split wing.

oh wow, that's not entirely good odds.

 

[TheChicknGarden]

Quote:
I store them no longer than 10 days. I put them in a dark closet that is cooler than the rest of my house. Once summer really hits and our home warms up, I'll be putting them in the basement to keep cool. Just don't put them in the fridge. Fluffy feathers around are normal. What I'm talking about is really obvious-- I'm not kidding, you'll think a chicken exploded. And they only do that AFTER they are sitting on the nest. You won't catch a broody up running around. She'll go sit down and then systematically start pulling out all her feathers. Once she does that, she's there to stay. If she gets up, then she's not really broody. A true broody will sit on nothing. So don't worry about hurrying to get eggs under her-- it won't matter. No need to worry about it or rush. Give her a couple of days to sit there and be sure she's broody before you risk your eggs. And IMO, I'd have an incubator going as backup in case she stops or gives up. That didn't happen with mine, though. The first week, she was only thinking about it-- off and on the nest and not really serious. After that she got serious. Just relax and wait for them to do it. If you have silkies, chances are, they will.

Super. I have them in a closet now... Yeah I was talking to the husband about going and getting an incubator . I worry that since my girls are young they won't feel the urge to go broody. Nugget is the sizzle who is about to turn 6 months. Where's as henny my Plymouth is near being 9 months... Well hopefully I can manage to get something hatched... I'd really like to see the results... All in all i suppose it's a learning experience.