Silkie thread!

[Sanna]

Unfortunately I lost the best silkie chick sexer is history

he was a old English bantam rooster I would put in the brooder with 3 month old chicks and he'd separate the males and the females for me

he was only wrong twice and his reword would be getting to live with the lady's tell they grew up. Now I gotta find a new one

I'd love to have a rooster like that!

Sorry for your loss.

You could put her in a raised wire cage and apparently the air flow underneath her will break her. I've also heard about putting a bag of ice underneath them to cool down their chests. Not sure how well either one works but worth a try

I can definitely give it a shot, if Beaker can't cure this pullet.

 

[DURR]

In a general response to all replies to the SQ question.

Just wanted to know if I was looking at the right things due to me being completly new to Silkies.

My son loves them so I'll keep these guys and just not hatch her eggs and keep them from her so she won't go broody or just use her broodiness to my advantage! Lol.

Anyone know of any SQ breeders in southeast ga?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I just gave my Silkies their first sprouts. They went CRAZY over them! Which is good bc I wasn't sure how they'd react. They spend most of their time in an enclosed run (which is a barren wasteland) and most of my yard is still brown, so I thought they'd enjoy some food that is actually alive. Boy did they ever.

Does anyone else feed sprouts? I did lentils this time bc that's what I had in my cabinet. I sprouted more than enough for them and me. I like them in salads and stir fry- YUM, YUM!

 

[aoxa]

In a general response to all replies to the SQ question.

Just wanted to know if I was looking at the right things due to me being completly new to Silkies.

My son loves them so I'll keep these guys and just not hatch her eggs and keep them from her so she won't go broody or just use her broodiness to my advantage! Lol.

Anyone know of any SQ breeders in southeast ga?

SQ or not, they are still worthwhile to keep, just not to breed

I just gave my Silkies their first sprouts. They went CRAZY over them! Which is good bc I wasn't sure how they'd react. They spend most of their time in an enclosed run (which is a barren wasteland) and most of my yard is still brown, so I thought they'd enjoy some food that is actually alive. Boy did they ever.

Does anyone else feed sprouts? I did lentils this time bc that's what I had in my cabinet. I sprouted more than enough for them and me. I like them in salads and stir fry- YUM, YUM!

I have some sprouts that are 5 days old in the fridge. They recommend 4 days for keeping, but they still look good so the chickens are getting them when I return from work. I hope they like them!

 

[heirloomorps]

Haven't visited the silkie thread for a good long while! Here are some pictures of my two white pullets I will be showing this month, although they look a lot more mature now (pics about a month old). I produced these two late last fall. And then my lone splash hen...will be showing her too but will probably sell her.
I have an incubator full of silkie eggs and three broodies on more, hopefully I will have more eggs to share before too long!
These two haven't started laying yet...

They are all gorgeous. I would be happy to take the splash off your hands, lol

 

[BuckNBark Farm]

Howdy. My chicks are 6 weeks old tomorrow I'm noticing some have more curved beaks than others. Seems like I've read of people determining sex by the beaks. Also, wondering if I need to trim so young? Can their beaks be curved too much to eat well? The pic I'm sending is a recent pic of curved beak. The other pic is when they were younger, but beak is pretty much the same. The ones with the curved beaks I've already named girl names, the others boys. It just worked out that way...

Porcelain has curved beak...
Lavender has not curved beak...

 

[silkiefive]

You never have to switch them to layer. Your silkies nor your standard birds.

Just offer free choice oyster shell.

Silkies are so up and down with laying (ie: taking break to be broody) so layer is not recommended. They do not need it when they are not laying, so their kidneys have to filter out extra calcium that their body is not using. This can lead to kidney damage. Better to let them decide how much calcium they need by having oyster free choice.

Some birds need more calcium than others. Even with layer some birds need more than what is provided.

Ooops! Been feeding my girls with layer for 2 months, but thats what the guy at the store told me to do...

, better not to trust em anymore, fortunately we have this threat with lots of info and whenever making a decision will ask for advise...hope it is not too late for the birds...thanks

 

[Polla Chickie]

I just love silkies!!!!! There so adorable! I have a blue silkie and she's as calm as they come! .... Well I think it's a female... I'm not sure yet?? But I named her Chickie lol

First day home

1 wk old

1 month 3 wks

 

[PaintedFeathers]

They are all cute , but if you really want to show you should probably start off with some show stock but that is sometimes expensive. You already pointed out problems with each that would make them less than desirable for show purposes.

Try and decide just what you want.. bearded-non bearded , color and find a local show breeder to get a few chicks from and grow out few nice chicks with show potential.

ditto, they would not be desireable if you are looking for show silkies. You could try ordering hatching eggs from someone like Karen Larsen at catdance silkies. I also saw someone in bell, FL with nice looking silkies on craigslist.

 

[PaintedFeathers]

Ooops! Been feeding my girls with layer for 2 months, but thats what the guy at the store told me to do...

, better not to trust em anymore, fortunately we have this threat with lots of info and whenever making a decision will ask for advise...hope it is not too late for the birds...thanks

I found the people at the feed stores I go to really know nothing about feeding or nutrition. I go to agway and when I ask anything about the food they stare at me blankly and say "uuuuhh... I don't know.." Even the woman at blue seal who said she was a judge and breeder had no idea what she was talking about!