Silkie thread!

[ChickNmamma]

Can anyone suggest somewhere I can get removable leg bands? I'd like to be able to mark the chicks easier for gender ID in pictures, some of them kinda look the same on camera. LOL

If you are looking to mark little chicks, I use the Vet Wrap (from the feed stores) for birth to about 2 weeks old. They have lots of colors, you CAN write on them with a black sharpie, and they stretch as they grow. After 2 weeks I go to colored zip ties, put on just tight enough they can't get their feet out. With silkies I put it above their 5th toe so it doesn't come off, but really loose. When they get big enough I decide who I want to keep, that's when I put on their numbered poultry leg bands.

I bought mine from a show - but you can get them online easily. A quick search turned up tons on Ebay, as well as online poultry supply companies. http://compare.ebay.com/like/251258620206?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

For Silkies I would suggest 9 or larger - give them room for their feathers too.

P.S. - I don't think anybody can ID chicks.. they have to be quite a bit older... preferably 6 months

 

[13 chickens]

the two chicks looking at each other are silkies the chick behind the one on the far right is also a silkie, all of them are 3 days old

 

[jbgwilliams]

Hey, just wondering if any one knows if you can breed pink silkies WITHOUT using dye?

Thanks

 

[PaintedFeathers]

   Hey, just wondering if any one knows if you can breed pink silkies WITHOUT using dye?


   Thanks

Yeah just breed red with white ... on a more serious note, no you can't that I know of. I believe it's a joke Like my purple wheaten Ameraucana!

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote:

too much bluing?

And no - pink is not a natural color for chicken feathers - so you can't "create" one naturally.... I think the closest you could get is the Self-Blue Creme...

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Theoretically mahogany (as in RIR) plus lavender might give a pinkish bird.

Alternatively, you could try crossing your silkie with a flamingo...

 

[PaintedFeathers]

too much bluing?

And no - pink is not a natural color for chicken feathers - so you can't "create" one naturally....  I think the closest you could get is the Self-Blue Creme...

 

vetrolin whitening and brightening shampoo

 

[K Epp]

I have a Polish roo everyone even the DH just loves his purple crest feathers. I have been fighting feather picking in his crest for months now. Keeping Blue Kite on him as they grow seems to work best. LOL.... Poor guy.

 

[PaintedFeathers]

I have a Polish roo everyone even the DH just loves his purple crest feathers. I have been fighting feather picking in his crest for months now. Keeping Blue Kite on him as they grow seems to work best. LOL.... Poor guy.

Mix it up! Get some pet dye! I have some blue dye/paste stuff, i've always thought about spiking Snowman's crest...

 

[cestial225]

Do any of you free range your silkies? I have two silkies in my flock. They are my boys favorite birds cause they are so pretty to look at and gentle. We hatched them a few months ago and for some reason my boys have bonded with these two particular girls. Well they are slow and my husband says they are blind cause of all the feathers on their heads. I am afraid if I let them in the yard they would be the easiest target. I don't worry as much about my BR or even my cochins.