Silkie thread!

[ChicksNherps]

All the chickens are getting along nicely. First thing our crabby rooster did was chase the new girls around, of course. But that ended quickly. I went and checked on all of them a little while ago, they're all in their coop sleeping. Cochins mixed with everyone. Two roosting with the silkies, the blue hen in a pile on the ground with the chicks and some hens. lol

Of course I didn't think to quarantine them..

They do have their little bands on their legs, so they have been tested for diseases. I think I'll go separate them tomorrow just to be sure.

NPIP testing won't show all the diseases they could be carrying, not to mention lice and mites! By tomorrow will be too late, so I would just hope that they don't really have anything! I ended up with lice because the the woman I got my last chicken from failed to mention her little "problem" in her flock.

 

[peepblessed]

So, I almost forgot! I don't know how I could have forgotten to tell everyone the good news! lol
I picked up my two birds from the fair today and they both got a blue ribbon and $10.00 each.

I just don't know how it was possible that they both got first place. There were much nicer birds out at the fair. How do these birds get judged anyway?? There were so many silkies that got first place. Does it go by color and gender? That's the only reason I can think of that would make sense they ended up with blue ribbons.

I had such a stresful day, it was so nice to bring these two back home with $20 in my pocket, two blue ribbons AND a double rainbow that showed up in the sky as I was walking out of the fairgrounds.
Here they are!

That is so great!! I love your photo!

 

[littlecritters]

NPIP testing won't show all the diseases they could be carrying, not to mention lice and mites! By tomorrow will be too late, so I would just hope that they don't really have anything! I ended up with lice because the the woman I got my last chicken from failed to mention her little "problem" in her flock.

Unfortunately, ChicksNherps story is not unusual..mites and lice have been affecting show stock this summer. Don't panic, but quarantining your birds would be prudent.

So, I almost forgot! I don't know how I could have forgotten to tell everyone the good news! lol
I picked up my two birds from the fair today and they both got a blue ribbon and $10.00 each. e
I just don't know how it was possible that they both got first place. There were much nicer birds out at the fair. How do these birds get judged anyway?? There were so many silkies that got first place. Does it go by color and gender? That's the only reason I can think of that would make sense they ended up with blue ribbons.
I had such a stresful day, it was so nice to bring these two back home with $20 in my pocket, two blue ribbons AND a double rainbow that showed up in the sky as I was walking out of the fairgrounds.
Here they are!

Congratulations!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: ALWAYS expect that there could be issues; do NOT expect that the breeder KNOWS that there is a problem. If you have more than a handful of animal, things like parasites HAPPEN. You treat and deal with it. Sometimes the first treatment is not completely effective, so you re-treat. And then you may treat again...and again. It is not something that ever "goes away."

NPIP is nothing more than salmonella..NOTHING MORE. NPIP has nothing to do with the most common diseases of poultry; only with those that can easily be transmitted to humans via eggs or meat!

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Hello,
I'm going to a show next month, and am hopefully going to purchase a Silkie. What should I look for when choosing one, other then black skin? I don't know much about them, other then they have black skin/bones, and come in bearded and non-bearded varieties.

Thanks for any help!

 

[stoopid]

If you are looking for a pet, get whatever makes you happy. If you want to get into breeding and showing, that's a whole 'nother story!
Make sure they have all their toes, and the correct number of nails on each foot.
Look for dark eyes. Make sure the color is correct, and if they are young, realize that color will change.
A short back, lots of pouff...
Read the standard. Got to the ASBC website. Go to other breeders websites, and look at the pictures of their birds.
Check here on BYC, there is a thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/690632/silkie-breeding-genetics-showing
Talk to people at the show, don't be afraid to ask questions.
Look at the other birds, and try to spot the differences between the winners and the ones that didn't get a ribbon.
It's hard!
And don't get just one....depending on your flock, you will need at least 2 or 3

Silkies are the mellow ones that always get picked on. They need backup buddies.
But once again, it will be whatever makes you happy.
I have birds with that one crooked toe, or one yellow eye....that are the sweetest.
Have fun at the show!

 

[ChicksNherps]

ALWAYS expect that there could be issues; do NOT expect that the breeder KNOWS that there is a problem. If you have more than a handful of animal, things like parasites HAPPEN. You treat and deal with it. Sometimes the first treatment is not completely effective, so you re-treat. And then you may treat again...and again. It is not something that ever "goes away."

NPIP is nothing more than salmonella..NOTHING MORE. NPIP has nothing to do with the most common diseases of poultry; only with those that can easily be transmitted to humans via eggs or meat!

I didn't, so I sent her an email letting her know that her flock may have lice, and her response was "I know, it's been an on going issue"

I luckily only had 3 birds at the time so I gutted their coop, treated them, and left them in the house for a week while the coop sat.

 

[ChicksNherps]

If you are looking for a pet, get whatever makes you happy. If you want to get into breeding and showing, that's a whole 'nother story!
Make sure they have all their toes, and the correct number of nails on each foot.
Look for dark eyes. Make sure the color is correct, and if they are young, realize that color will change.
A short back, lots of pouff...
Read the standard. Got to the ASBC website. Go to other breeders websites, and look at the pictures of their birds.
Check here on BYC, there is a thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/690632/silkie-breeding-genetics-showing
Talk to people at the show, don't be afraid to ask questions.
Look at the other birds, and try to spot the differences between the winners and the ones that didn't get a ribbon.
It's hard!
And don't get just one....depending on your flock, you will need at least 2 or 3

Silkies are the mellow ones that always get picked on. They need backup buddies.
But once again, it will be whatever makes you happy.
I have birds with that one crooked toe, or one yellow eye....that are the sweetest.
Have fun at the show!

I went to a fair on saturday and saw a whole row of silkies, most of them were for sale and I was drooling

I wanted to get one SO BAD, especially since a lot were only $5! But I want to wait and do a breeding project next year.

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

If you are looking for a pet, get whatever makes you happy. If you want to get into breeding and showing, that's a whole 'nother story!
Make sure they have all their toes, and the correct number of nails on each foot.
Look for dark eyes. Make sure the color is correct, and if they are young, realize that color will change.
A short back, lots of pouff...
Read the standard. Got to the ASBC website. Go to other breeders websites, and look at the pictures of their birds.
Check here on BYC, there is a thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/690632/silkie-breeding-genetics-showing
Talk to people at the show, don't be afraid to ask questions.
Look at the other birds, and try to spot the differences between the winners and the ones that didn't get a ribbon.
It's hard!
And don't get just one....depending on your flock, you will need at least 2 or 3
Silkies are the mellow ones that always get picked on. They need backup buddies.
But once again, it will be whatever makes you happy.
I have birds with that one crooked toe, or one yellow eye....that are the sweetest.
Have fun at the show!

Thank you! I'm looking for show quality, and I'm hoping there's a few good quality ones there that speak to me. I'm going to be getting at least 4, hopefully all hens because I can't have roosters where I live. They will be at least a week old, maybe less.

 

[KMHunter]

Quote: If you get them that young, they will be straight run. Silkies can't be sexed that early. If you get some that are 4-5 months old it would be more of a gaurantee that you are getting girls.