Silkie thread!

[peepblessed]

Hi Peep,

Long time no talk. I've been busy and up and down with health so I haven't been on much lately.

There are many good breeders up Illinois way. Not all of them are on BYC. You should try search different web pages and facebook. You'd be surprised how many of us do not list here but, in other places. However, with that being said you probably won't see too much shipping this time of year as it is way to hot to ship birds

I like many other serious breeders will wait until late summer early fall to list and sell our grow out stock. If you wait till then you will see alot of very nice birds go up for sale. And as Brody said, just because the birds are listed as coming from SQ parent stock, if they are not in show condition at the time of the sale they are not SQ. My idea of buying a good quality silkie is one that a breeder has kept back for possible showing breeding, and when they decide for whatever reason to sell, the bird it is in show ready condition as they would keep it in that condition should they decide to keep it.

I've seen some not so good silkies go for big bucks and just kinda ask myself how experienced is the seller and buyer b/c if they knew their breed they would not spend that kinda of money on that bird! But, I guess some of of us have different outlooks on what is SQ, BQ, or PQ

Hey, Beth! Good to see you on here! To find breeders on FB do you search "silkie"?

 

[anbsmom]

Shipped eggs take a terrible beating even when packed well. The only way to know for sure it was infertile would be to break it a look for the bullseye. I have purchased many shipped eggs from many reliable breeders and three times I got a zero hatch. One time I got one out of 12. Once I got 14 out of 20. You just never know. Please be happy if you get a few.

This is the second time I tried the shipped eggs. The first time I got 12 mixed LF eggs and was extremely pleased. One infertile, two that died at about 7 days, one that never pipped, and one that died after hatching. I was so happy! All these chicks are extremely healthy and happy. I paid $1.99 for them on ebay. So, thinking I may have a knack for the incubating thing I decided to spend $26 on silkie eggs.

 

[SadieSue]

Quote:
I'm sure someone's answered this by now. I don't know if it's different for Silkies since mine are still babies and not yet outside, but for my LF coop I just used multi-purpose sand mixed with a scoop of DE. Multi purpose or play sand, I don't think it makes too much difference. Play sand may be a little finer.

 

[skyl3r]

That would be great! Thanks a bunch!

Sorry this is blurry, used my iPhone. Trinity had Einstein up there on the roost. It is just a pine limb, then under it, I put a removable box (it is very heavy), but it can come out completely. It has about 2 inches of Sweet PDZ in it. Every night, they poop and poop and poop (apparently) and it goes into the litter box. In the morning when I go out, all the little poops are dried up. I take a kitty litter popper scooper and scoop it right out. SO far I haven't had to add anymore PDZ. If they ever poop on the rails, ledges or ramp I just sprinkle a little PDZ on it. Then it gets all hard and can be scraped off. I think it dries the ammonia out immediately. Those aren't little poops in the box, the birds make the bark fall off pine limb in the tray too!

 

[skyl3r]

Today's Photos

Einstein was sleepy


Whats better than 1 silkie in a swing??? Two silkies in a swing!



Einstein looking girly.




Trinity loving some Einstein! (she's not burnt, she's very fair like her dad...face turns red in the heat)


Trinity thought the flower should go on top!

 

[littlecritters]

Hi Peep,

Long time no talk. I've been busy and up and down with health so I haven't been on much lately.

There are many good breeders up Illinois way. Not all of them are on BYC. You should try search different web pages and facebook. You'd be surprised how many of us do not list here but, in other places. However, with that being said you probably won't see too much shipping this time of year as it is way to hot to ship birds

I like many other serious breeders will wait until late summer early fall to list and sell our grow out stock. If you wait till then you will see alot of very nice birds go up for sale. And as Brody said, just because the birds are listed as coming from SQ parent stock, if they are not in show condition at the time of the sale they are not SQ. My idea of buying a good quality silkie is one that a breeder has kept back for possible showing breeding, and when they decide for whatever reason to sell, the bird it is in show ready condition as they would keep it in that condition should they decide to keep it.

I've seen some not so good silkies go for big bucks and just kinda ask myself how experienced is the seller and buyer b/c if they knew their breed they would not spend that kinda of money on that bird! But, I guess some of of us have different outlooks on what is SQ, BQ, or PQ

Glad to see your post! You are about a 2 hour drive from me. I will send you a PM... as I would like to request being put a contact list/wait list for when you have birds available.

In regard to not so good silkies being sold and purchased....As new and potential breeders, it is hard for my family to easily see the differences in a BQ vs SQ bird. It's hard enough for us to pick out DQ's. Reading websites and interpreting a Standard of Perfection are very different from having hands on experience in seeing, touching and feeling good birds. The reference book by Sigrod appears to be sold out, so we don't have access to that. So, we have joined the ASBC and hope to attend some shows to help our learning curve.

Until we can build our konwledge base...we are forced to rely on the folks who are selling us stock, who may themselves have limited knowledge. Not everyone will be honest and upfront, and there is always the chance that we may get taken for a ride. I'm not sure what the solution is and if there is one. It would be wonderful if we could have a series of pics here on this thread showing birds that are different qualities (PQ,BQ,SQ) with an explanation of why. Side by side pics of DQ's vs faults vs normal traits would also be extremely helpful.
Tina

 

[littlecritters]

Sorry this is blurry, used my iPhone.  Trinity had Einstein up there on the roost.  It is just a pine limb, then under it, I put a removable box (it is very heavy), but it can come out completely.  It has about 2 inches of Sweet PDZ in it.  Every night, they poop and poop and poop (apparently) and it goes into the litter box.  In the morning when I go out, all the little poops are dried up.  I take a kitty litter popper scooper and scoop it right out.  SO far I haven't had to add anymore PDZ. If they ever poop on the rails, ledges or ramp I just sprinkle a little PDZ on it.  Then it gets all hard and can be scraped off.  I think it dries the ammonia out immediately.  Those aren't little poops in the box, the birds make the bark fall off pine limb in the tray too!

Absolutely adorable photos! How do your silkies get up to the roost? Tina

 

[GoldBarRanch]

Hi I am new to this thread--trying to get the whole thing read, but burning the candle at both ends......I'm on page 58, plus reading all the new posts since about page 204?. I hope to be hatching some silkies really soon, but have some other breeds now. My problem is flies......has anyone used Red Lake Earth Diatomaceous Earth with Calcium Bentonite? If so, how does it work for you? I've read mostly good stuff, but did read two not so good review regarding chickens. I had planned on buying the garden and poultry dust, but this seems to offer more benefit. I'm concerned for my present birds, and of course, my future silkies.
TIA

I myself use DE food grade for many years now. Im in AZ and works great for us. I put it in all my feed barrels,dust all animals, animal bedding , coops,runs, have never had problems with mites,fleas,ticks,scorpions since using it..

 

[ThaiChick]

First off, love the photo! Second, how did she get up there? And I'm digging the idea of just using a litter scooper!

Sorry this is blurry, used my iPhone. Trinity had Einstein up there on the roost. It is just a pine limb, then under it, I put a removable box (it is very heavy), but it can come out completely. It has about 2 inches of Sweet PDZ in it. Every night, they poop and poop and poop (apparently) and it goes into the litter box. In the morning when I go out, ll the little poops are dried up. I take a kitty litter popper scooper and scoop it right out. SO far I haven't had to add anymore PDZ. If they ever poop on the rails, ledges or ramp I just sprinkle a little PDZ on it. Then it gets all hard and can be scraped off. I think it dries the ammonia out immediately. Those aren't little poops in the box, the birds make the bark fall off pine limb in the tray too!

 

[peepblessed]

Today's Photos

Einstein was sleepy


Whats better than 1 silkie in a swing??? Two silkies in a swing!



Einstein looking girly.




Trinity loving some Einstein! (she's not burnt, she's very fair like her dad...face turns red in the heat)


Trinity thought the flower should go on top!

I am still grinning!! You should make a childrens book out of these. They are just too precious!!!