Silkie thread!

[Hawkeye95]

Ok, so these are my two little question marks. I cannot wait to see what they look like in a few weeks!

Both from black over buff.



My fav so far. She has that red cast all over her body.

Both of these chicks look like they might have brachydactyly. The outer toe looks shorter than it should-- check those toes and see if they are missing a "knuckle" and a nail on them. Those feet look odd. I'm culling any chicks with that mutation. But other wise, they are cute!

Note to self: put raisins on the grocery list!

X2~ LOL!

OMG. I thought that was only one chick in the first picture and I couldn't figure it out. Thought it was some strange thing! hahah. Cute as buttons. Especially the little girl!

ME TOO!!!! That first picture, I kept looking at it thinking, "whaaa???". And then the second picture cleared it up.

But yeah, I'm thinking, that is one heck of a mutation on that chick! hahahahaha!!!! I love those little Showgirls, so cute!!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Question- is it as unusual as I am feeling it might be, after reading that Silkies do not lay frequently to have a pullet laying daily? Her eggs are hard shelled, pretty and have dark yellow yolks. She has only been laying sing the end of May, when I bought her. She took a little over a week break to adjust to her new house and has laid 2 eggs the first day she resumed laying and an egg daily since then. Could this be because of the time she took off, or am I possibly feeding her too much?

Hopefully someone else will chime in too with their experience! But with my silkies, they lay every other day. It's pretty rare for them to lay an egg every single day, although it HAS happened to me. So I would think yes, it is unusual. I doubt you are feeding her too much; I leave a constant supply of feed out for them to eat. Make sure she has Oyster Shell crumbles available in her pen for calcium. I buy that at Atwoods.

 

[4hchickmama]

Just had to share a picture of my daughter and her 4H showmanship silkie, Pearl. Snapped this as we were getting ready to go to the fair today. She was trying to hatch a rock this morning.

Silly broody bird.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Just had to share a picture of my daughter and her 4H showmanship silkie, Pearl. Snapped this as we were getting ready to go to the fair today. She was trying to hatch a rock this morning.

Silly broody bird.

Are you just doing Showmanship with Pearl, or are you going to show her as well? I had a hen go broody right before a show and I ended up not being able to show her, because she plucked out all her belly feathers! She was a disaster! Then, she just hunkered down in the back of the cage. The judge told us in general (because there was another bird there with similar "issues") that they are unshowable. Just curious what you are going to do with her or if you have an idea to break her at the fair! LOL BTW, she is a pretty girl. I love your daughter's outfit! I've never seen those hats before, though. We have a white button down lab coat with my son's name and club embroidered on the front pocket for Showmanship. I'm so glad you posted this picture! This is so neat! I hope you put that in her record book, that is a great shot!

 

[4hchickmama]

Are you just doing Showmanship with Pearl, or are you going to show her as well? I had a hen go broody right before a show and I ended up not being able to show her, because she plucked out all her belly feathers! She was a disaster! Then, she just hunkered down in the back of the cage. The judge told us in general (because there was another bird there with similar "issues") that they are unshowable. Just curious what you are going to do with her or if you have an idea to break her at the fair! LOL BTW, she is a pretty girl. I love your daughter's outfit! I've never seen those hats before, though. We have a white button down lab coat with my son's name and club embroidered on the front pocket for Showmanship. I'm so glad you posted this picture! This is so neat! I hope you put that in her record book, that is a great shot!

She is entered into both the exhibition and showmanship portions. I'm hoping she won't go "fully broody" she got up and ate after I took away her rock child. And thank you! We think she is pretty too!

That is their 4H uniform. White shirt and pants, green scarf for girls, green tie for boys, then the little hat. I am printing one off as we speak for her record book and another for the scrapbook!

 

[Hawkeye95]

She is entered into both the exhibition and showmanship portions. I'm hoping she won't go "fully broody" she got up and ate after I took away her rock child. And thank you! We think she is pretty too!

That is their 4H uniform. White shirt and pants, green scarf for girls, green tie for boys, then the little hat. I am printing one off as we speak for her record book and another for the scrapbook!

Funny! Good luck!! Our county fair starts the second week of July, and then our State fair is in September.

 

[Fancy Feathers]

Hopefully someone else will chime in too with their experience! But with my silkies, they lay every other day. It's pretty rare for them to lay an egg every single day, although it HAS happened to me. So I would think yes, it is unusual. I doubt you are feeding her too much; I leave a constant supply of feed out for them to eat. Make sure she has Oyster Shell crumbles available in her pen for calcium. I buy that at Atwoods.

If her eggs are hard-shelled does she need extra calcium?

Not a Silkie, but I have a Cochin hen who I had shipped to me, after a settling in period she gave me an egg a day like clockwork. Then I bought a couple more hens and upset her, so now I'm only getting an egg every other day.. LOL Cochins are similar to Silkies in that they're not supposed to be a terribly prolific layer..
I think my hen just loves me and is super anxious to please

 

[Fancy Feathers]

Such a sweet picture, and -- SO funny about trying to brood a rock!!

Just had to share a picture of my daughter and her 4H showmanship silkie, Pearl. Snapped this as we were getting ready to go to the fair today. She was trying to hatch a rock this morning.

Silly broody bird.

 

[peepblessed]

Entertainment suggestion: Take a grow out pen with a dozen or so 10 week old Silkies and offer them raisins, one at a time. Takes awhile for a serious customer to show up (raisins DO look a bit "off") but once they do - look out! They race around screaming about their prize and then pile up for more. Totally entertaining!!!

I have done that with our little wild grapes. What a frenzy!!

 

[Basel]

Most of us are reluctant to give advice without a photo. Can you post one?

Thanks peepblessed. I attached a few pix of the poor gangly adolescent! [And one of him/her as a baby.] He/she is truly in the not-very-attractive stage. He/she has a lot of pin feathers on the head and neck but mostly baby fuzz. Right now he/she does have little black/blue feathers starting to pop out on his cheeks and under his beak. These are what are making me wonder about being bearded or not.
Thanks!
As a reminder, this was my original post:

"I have a dumb question.
Do non-bearded silkies have some light short feathers under their eyes [cheeks] and under their chin, or are they mostly just black skin there?

I ask because I have a few hatchery chicks and am trying to determine if they're bearded or not. I thought they were, but one blue I'm thinking now isn't. Since they're hatchery, they aren't as good as a breeders' and less likely to be obvious I believe. They are about 6-7 weeks old now."