Silkie thread!

[kukupecpec]

depends where you get them. If you can't find any breeders and don't care if they aren't the standard it is fine. I haven't heard of them being unhealthy, just not SOP. There are a few hatcheries that are site sponsors you can look at. It is just good to buy from a breeder, if you can, to improve the breed and help out local farms.

I'm always a supporter of local and small business type anything! I don't breed here so I'm not as worried about breed standard or furthering proper breed standards, my birds all just live and breed together.

Hatcheries breed for quantity, not quality. They pay no mind to breeding the best birds that resemble the breed, and as a result the chicks that they produce often are very poor quality and hardly resemble the breed standard. They may be healthy, just not very pretty. For example, hatchery silkies usually have little to no crests or foot feathering, often have the wrong number of toes, and have overly huge combs and sometimes even the wrong color skin. But they'll have silkied feathers, and apparently to the hatchery that's the only thing that's necessary.

That doesn't sound too pleasant. Well I'd definitely love to find a breeder, I just don't want bearded silkies.

 

[ChicksNherps]

Hi there!

Just thought I would drop in and ask a quick question - I would like to order some silkies, probably to use for natural hatching, and just the general cuteness of their fluff. I was wondering if non bearded silkies are normal? I don't think I want anything with a beard, just don't like the looks of them.
I can't seem to find ANY hatching eggs on here for non bearded silkies. I'm only looking for like 6 eggs, maybe with extras if you have any. It wouldn't be until March.

Would love to hear about bearded vs. non bearded

if you have non bearded hatching eggs to sell, can you PM me?
Thanks so much guys!

you could try your local craigslist as well.

 

[chicknlove]

Nothing like Catdance babies hatching and a new brinsea incubator. Soo exciting!

I just ordered a new incubator myself, hoping this is me a month from now!

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:
Well, if your remaining one does not survive, contact me in PM and I will do one on her. They are not enjoyable, but sometimes needed to find out what is going on. I suspect that your's too were organ failure issues. When I picked up my 2 replacements for the first chick that died, she said she would loose around 9 of the chicks in the brooder box of about 30. At the time it seemed normal(naivety), but now I know that is not a normal mortality rate.

 

[chicknlove]

Fine sand sticks to everything like at the beach. I just rake it. No need to replace it but may need to add some depending on how much you start with.

Im going to do this with my silkie run.. I think I'll rake it and add a sprinkle of sweet PDZ over it for freshining every once in a while.

 

[chicknlove]

Well, if your remaining one does not survive, contact me in PM and I will do one on her. They are not enjoyable, but sometimes needed to find out what is going on. I suspect that your's too were organ failure issues. When I picked up my 2 replacements for the first chick that died, she said she would loose around 9 of the chicks in the brooder box of about 30. At the time it seemed normal(naivety), but now I know that is not a normal mortality rate.

Okay, its good to know why. I'm not a "farmer" yet. I can't even touch a dead animal. I need to work on that.

Yes, 9 of 30 with no "stress" seems quite high. Now we know

 

[ChicksNherps]

Im going to do this with my silkie run.. I think I'll rake it and add a sprinkle of sweet PDZ over it for freshining every once in a while.

I do it in my silkie run, river sand works best because it has larger pebbles and they can also use it as natural grit. I use quickrete sand though, I wasn't able to get river sand last year.

 

[chicknlove]

I do it in my silkie run, river sand works best because it has larger pebbles and they can also use it as natural grit. I use quickrete sand though, I wasn't able to get river sand last year.

I did this in my standard chicken run and its like a foot cleaner as they walk through it to the coop and then the pine pellets clean their feet the rest.. So when they climb into the nest box with hampster bedding their eggs and nest have stayed really clean.

I will keep in mind the river sand idea when I pick up the sand for my sikie run.

 

[Mumsy]

I just ordered a new incubator myself, hoping this is me a month from now!

Me too! My Genesis 1588 is due to arrive next Monday. I'll be picking up eggs and chicks at Catdance in person next weekend. I also want an image going on in my house just like Gcorso33!

 

[Feathersprings]

Okay, its good to know why. I'm not a "farmer" yet. I can't even touch a dead animal. I need to work on that.

Yes, 9 of 30 with no "stress" seems quite high. Now we know

I have the same "problem" It doesnt come easy to me either. I dont think I will work on it though lol!