Silkie thread!

[Basel]

Yes my silkies LOVE the FF. I drain it from water well for the silkies, so it is an oatmeal consistency. I do notice changes. Their feathers look nicer, Pearl lays bigger - stronger eggs, and their poop is firm and smell free. They were never sick, so I can't say it improved their health, but it sure helps my pocket book

And their faces when I serve it.. They are really happy with the feed. They go nuts!

Do the silkies get it all over their beards and such?? I have silkies, salmon faverolles, and Ameraucanas---all beardeds! I wondering if this is messy for them or not.

And the poops really don't smell?!! Wow.

 

[peepblessed]

Color experts, what color would you consider this? I call her chocolate (her name is Cocoa) and I guess this would not be a recognized color if it is. Her body is a dark chocolate color and her beard and petticoat fluff is a lighter milk chocolate color. Also what color would be best to breed her if I wanted to continue working on this. I really love it!

Gorgeous color! Hope you can get some advice on what to breed her to.

I have some black chicks, but they look blue to me. Is this normal? When do they usually start getting darker? Any tips on how to differentiate them right after they hatch?

Black chicks may look blue at hatch. Usually black by 7-8 weeks. Here's a picture of a pullet at birth and later at 7 weeks.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:

She has just started laying eggs. I will get you some if you want to try them come Spring. By that time I should be able to see what her babies will look like.

One possibility (the shine on her feathers really discounts this as being likely) is that the feathers are old or sun bleached, and after a molt will re-grow as pure black. I don't think this is the case here, but that is the colour that many blacks sunbleach to.

Next possibility is brown; e^b plus Db, with pg+. I think this is most likely.

Remote possibility is choc/- or I^D/i+ Remote because no one has bred choc into silkies in the US that I know of, and only a very few have bred in dun. I do think she is a superb bird to use in a chocolate breeding program, though.

 

[Fur N Feathers]

Gorgeous color! Hope you can get some advice on what to breed her to.

Thank you, I hope so!

One possibility (the shine on her feathers really discounts this as being likely) is that the feathers are old or sun bleached, and after a molt will re-grow as pure black. I don't think this is the case here, but that is the colour that many blacks sunbleach to.

Next possibility is brown; e^b plus Db, with pg+. I think this is most likely.

Remote possibility is choc/- or I^D/i+ Remote because no one has bred choc into silkies in the US that I know of, and only a very few have bred in dun. I do think she is a superb bird to use in a chocolate breeding program, though.

What color rooster should I breed her with to try and keep this color? I don't have a rooster anywhere near her color, and don't know of anyone in my area that does. She is an oops color, no doubt.

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Gorgeous color! Hope you can get some advice on what to breed her to.
Black chicks may look blue at hatch. Usually black by 7-8 weeks. Here's a picture of a pullet at birth and later at 7 weeks.

Thank you

 

[silkielover5]

So I have a really nice white hen in my breeding pen that I just found out is from a hatchery. The people I bought her from 3 years ago started breeding silkies than a year later decided to switch to ducks. I recently contacted them to see where they had gotten her because I'm trying to keep better track of my bloodlines and they told me they ordered a total of 150 chicks from a few different hatcheries than weeded out for the best. At the show they had about 25 silkies all really nice and I was wondering what hatchery you think they ordered from? I'd post a picture but she's in a really bad molt right now

 

[peepblessed]

Just when I think this cockerels tail can't get any big, it does! Love this guy!!

 

[aoxa]

Do the silkies get it all over their beards and such??  I have silkies, salmon faverolles, and Ameraucanas---all beardeds!  I wondering if this is messy for them or not.

And the poops really don't smell?!!  Wow.

Sometimes it does, yes.. But on others it doesn't. Most of my older ones are clean as ever, but some of the younger ones are eager to dive in It all depends on your feeder, and mine really isn't ideal for silkies.

And yes, their poop doesn't smell as bad at all. I'm sure it would if you picked it up and sniffed it, but the barn smells earthy and the poops are solid.

 

[Adoravachick]

Well, I got my new birds from CJ's Silkies. They are STUNNING!!!! I lost one of the porcelains during shipping. Cj was kind enough to immediately reship TWO older porcelains! She knew how much we wanted the porcelains. I got them the following day. (so nice of her!) I just had to share because I am so happy with ALL of the birds. I will be going back for MORE....here are the birds I received from her. I just can't get over how beautiful they are!

The chicks
The Black
The Blue

The porcelains

 

[Mumsy]

First introduction of my 3 1/2 month old Grey Silkie pair. Just brought home from the Chehalis Winter Brisk show in Washington State. Purchased from Marjorie Best. They are so very dear. They took to FF straight away. They got it all over their faces but are learning to wipe them clean. Their poo went from loose and smelly to firm and not so smelly in a matter of hours. But...Like all little babes...They picked out every single BOSS bit and spit it out in the shavings! Hah! They are learning to nibble on fresh apple and find the water bottle with ACV and Garlic juice too.

The male with little female hiding. He seems to always step between me and her. So cute.


I am in love with these two little sweeties.