Silkie thread!

[mama2my4]

That's great news!!
Yes, she definitely carries partridge. She wouldn't be the best choice for a BBS pen as she has some brown tones in her hackles but she perfect for my blue partridge project.

Babies form her yet Peep? Would love a peek!

 

[Mumsy]

Is another indicator a squared off broad chest? I know our Black Silkie(Kung Pow) that we and several of you think is a cockerel has a very square broad chest, all the others have a more rounded even chest.

Good question. Could be. With my three that are so much larger than the little female already I never looked at that as an indicator. Hah! Now I need to go check that out. It's those little indicators you pay attention to. When they all start to pile up one way or another you may be able to make the most educated guess. Take notes and then when you look back on your notes you can say, "Aha! That broad squared chest WAS a clue!" If you breed from these birds, those old notes also come in handy to check off on the offspring. Do those visual sex clue traits pass on?

 

[Sanna]

Educate the uneducated, please!
Who are some of the best Silkie breeders out there? Who has the best of the best? I want to order more eggs!

 

[Fur N Feathers]

Educate the uneducated, please!
Who are some of the best Silkie breeders out there? Who has the best of the best? I want to order more eggs!

That is going to have a lot of different opinions. I like buying eggs from CatDance myself.

Sanna how is your photography classes going? Sure would like to see some more of your photographs!!!

 

[TheChickenHill]

T

I put them together at any age with a wire or plastic mesh fence between them. Leave the fence for a few days and then remove it. They some times squabble a bit so watch for a while to make sure nothing serious is going to happen. This will not likely work if there are mature roos on both sides of the fence. That requires more work.

Thanks

 

[Fur N Feathers]

SUCCESS! I have been doing some physical therapy with my pullet who had what looked like slipped wing, just looked at her and they are folded normal all by themselves

That's wonderful!!! Good job!!!

 

[Fur N Feathers]

I take lots of pictures of the chicks. When you have lots of pictures of your chicks as they age, the differences start to really show up. To identify my chicks I use tiny little colored zip ties. I check them often for snugness. I don't reccomend them if you tend to forget about them. They can damage a chicks leg quickly. You can also use food color dye and put just a drop on a babies tummy where it doesn't show much. Some people toe punch. Others use those spiral leg bands. I hate those.

Anyway. Knowing your chicks is key. Female babies seem to have shorter beaks, a smaller softer eye. Shorter middle toe. Shorter legs. At four weeks Little Miss Peggy has a girly face. She is slower to fluff out on her head. Though these traits certainly can differ in different strains of Silkies. The three Silkies I think are male have hawkish beaks, longer middle toes, longer legs, head fluff coming in sooner. They already have wider combs than Miss Peggy. The three boys like to chest bump, run around like maniacs, and seem to be more aware of their surroundings. Miss Peggy is content to eat, sleep, and peck around. She ALWAYS backs away from the crazy boys. These are traits I've noticed in these four chicks since they were three days old. I'm making assumptions on sex based on observation only. Time will tell. If I'm wrong about these four chicks I will be the first to post when the day comes in a few more months when it should be obvious to the world.

I am a very visual person myself and I am getting pretty good at it. All really good hints!!!

 

[Sanna]

That is going to have a lot of different opinions. I like buying eggs from CatDance myself.

Sanna how is your photography classes going? Sure would like to see some more of your photographs!!!

My four week class is finished. It was a great learning experience. Fun too.

I'll post some of the pictures I took for my class. Sorry guys, they're not chicken related.

If you look me up on Facebook, I have some public folders for everyone to see..like this one for example http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1192534646511.31027.1022749684&type=3. In desperate need of new pictures though.

 

[Fur N Feathers]

Here are the pictures of mine at hatch and 10 days and then 4 months. It's the chick on the left.






She is over a year now and has gotten a little brown in her hackles. I'm using her to raise blue partridge.

I really like her a lot too!

Chicken hero saves family from house fire!!

I loved this. It made me cry.

 

[Fur N Feathers]

My four week class is finished. It was a great learning experience. Fun too.

I'll post some of the pictures I took for my class. Sorry guys, they're not chicken related.

If you look me up on Facebook, I have some public folders for everyone to see..like this one for example http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1192534646511.31027.1022749684&type=3. In desperate need of new pictures though.

Oh Sanna, thank you soooooo much!!!!! I have cats and horses also so I just adore these. I am going right now to your facebook page. That tongue is just so funny.