Silkie thread!

[bengalsmama]

These are our new Silkies (the other 2 we had got killed by a bird dog so now we have them in their own pen & no longer running the back yard) We bought these from a traders market and it was supposed to be 2 hens and a rooster....turned out to be 2 roosters and a hen! LOL Two of them are bearded. They are about 8 months old or so now, so my question is this: when will she start laying eggs? I have not noticed her laying eggs yet. Also, can the Silkie rooster breed with a Cornish hen or regular sized chickens? Our Silkie roosters are the only roosters we have, so I need to know if I should separate them from the hens if we do not want babies. They are a bit bigger now than they were in this photo, I will try to get a good picture of them later!

 

[peepblessed]

I know we had a discussion with pics somewhere between page 1905 and here....but I cant quite remember if beaks that are more curved are indicators of being boys or girls...anyone recall?

Not always accurate but one of many indicators.

 

[bengalsmama]

We had named them "Q-Tip, Big Mama & Little Mama"..until "Big Mama" turned into a male...lol Now he is "Ice Cube"!

 

[bengalsmama]

Originally Posted by bluewhoo


ok this is the Silkie thread, so i need help people.... I purchased silkie's from McMurray hatchery N there big now but OMG!!!! They are ugly... im sorry they dont look any way close to your pics of silkies. they look like those lizard things with some short fluff. and there very ugly... whats up? is something wrong with them? I cant even tell if there male or female, just so ugly? Are they to inbreed to be used, do i just kill'em? help please....

Are they Showgirl Silkies? Is their neck naked?

 

[peepblessed]

These are our new Silkies (the other 2 we had got killed by a bird dog so now we have them in their own pen & no longer running the back yard) We bought these from a traders market and it was supposed to be 2 hens and a rooster....turned out to be 2 roosters and a hen! LOL Two of them are bearded. They are about 8 months old or so now, so my question is this: when will she start laying eggs? I have not noticed her laying eggs yet. Also, can the Silkie rooster breed with a Cornish hen or regular sized chickens? Our Silkie roosters are the only roosters we have, so I need to know if I should separate them from the hens if we do not want babies. They are a bit bigger now than they were in this photo, I will try to get a good picture of them later!

Silkies usually lay between 5 - 10 mths. Silkie roosters will breed larger and smaller hens. You won't have babies unless you leave the eggs in the pen to be sat on. The eggs are still edible.

 

[tilosi]

I feel like an excited "auntie" waiting to hear how all your hatches turn out. I don't have an incubator yet and am thoroughly enjoying watching the progress of your hatches. I'm sitting here on the edge of my seat, cheering you all on and hoping for the best! I really do need a box of popcorn, soda and candy to round out this experience.

Tina

I'm sure you will bitten by the bug soon

Oooh, popcorn does good!! Thanks!!

Those air cells sound typical of shipped eggs. I have had air cells that went down the side of the eggs and still had healthy chicks hatch! You're doing good. So long as you keep them upright and try to keep your humidity down before the 18 days, you're good. It sounds like your chicks are developing. I think you'll be okay. I've still had good results from really scrambled air cells. Don't be upset by the really odd looking air cells, I know it's kind of freaky, but more than likely they'll be okay.

X2

--- wanted to add that keep an eye on them when they are zipping-- it's easier for them to get out when they are on their sides, but they should be okay upright too. Just watch them. Don't pull any of them out! When they zip, that turning motion they do twists the cord to their yolk sac, and the struggling is necessary for them to get it off, if YOU pull it off, you could kill them.

Hawkeye95, I'm on day 19 for the first batch, day 11 of the second batch. I haven't put the first ones into lock down yet, because of them looking like still way too much fluid. You give me hope, knowing you've dealt with crazy air cells. I am/will keep an eye on them.

And, no helping them out!

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Not always accurate but one of many indicators.

Thank you! I can see the difference, though it's a small one.

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

Not always accurate but one of many indicators.

So it looks like the girls top part of the beak curves down over the lower beak more than the boys?

 

[peepblessed]

I'm sure you will bitten by the bug soon

Oooh, popcorn does good!! Thanks!!

Hawkeye95, I'm on day 19 for the first batch, day 11 of the second batch. I haven't put the first ones into lock down yet, because of them looking like still way too much fluid. You give me hope, knowing you've dealt with crazy air cells. I am/will keep an eye on them.

And, no helping them out!

I believe there is a time to help them out but I usually wait at least 24 hrs.

 

[peepblessed]

So it looks like the girls top part of the beak curves down over the lower beak more than the boys?

No, the girls is more of a gradual arch and the boys is straighter with a more sudden arch on the last third. The overlap has nothing to do with it.