Silkie thread!

[Sylvester017]

Sorry it took so long to respond, but I have been out till late the past 2 days working on coops and fences and such, almost done

the Brahmas are the only ones I have had before the rest is the first time, I'm excited to see the Welsummers eggs, and the EE's eggs to see how many different shades I get. 1 of my EE's have slate grey legs, I need to look that up, haven't had time yet.
The Giants are supposed to be lovers, from what I'm told and read..... but mine sure aren't, working with them but man the can be a pain!!
I hated to cull what was left of my flock

But they would have just suffered if I hadn't. It is a terrible thing to watch and not be able to do anything about.
Croad Langshans I have never heard of those will have to look those up too.
I want some Ameraucanas so bad I cant stand it!!!! but I cant afford them, to pay 10.00 for a day old chick that you have no way knowing if it will live or not??? just don't make sense to me and No way DH would let me pay 20.00 -50.00 for a pullet.. he would stroke out!!!!
I was lucky and found a local that has BCM's for 5.00 eh for chicks, so I'm getting 10 they are st.run so I took extra, I want 6 hens and 1 roo so maybe????
I can see how a breeding program could be a whole lot of work. I'm fixing to find out... the BCM's I want to start breeding, it is hard to find them around here, I looked for a year!! I have 7 goats, 3 Does 1 buck, 1 whether, and 2, 6 day old bucklings. 1 doe is due any day now. 3 quarter horses and 6 dogs. I think I already told you??? but anyway point is I know its not easy taking care of livestock, winter is the worst, and this winter about did me in!!!

Some people just like being mean... they have no life or they are not happy with their life so they try to ruin other peoples lives.
Know the type and the ones I ran into is that type, The ones that you are talking about that just don't know how to put their words in type would be me some times... but I know this and always try to tell them when responding to a question, that I am sorry in advance if it comes out wrong, I don't spell well and therefore I pick the wrong words sometimes.

I always bring chicks in the house in winter, I'll even bring hens in if the are sick or wounded. I have a goat in the house now cause its still cold out and mom rejected him. Alot of people don't understand but i don't care... lol
I don't really like the game birds either but to each their own.

Slate grey legs on Ameraucans and EEs is a very good thing! Buff, Wheaten, and Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas seem to have lighter colored shanks than the other feather colors but slate is the SOP. The roos seem to have darker legs than the hens in my friend's flock.
BCMs in a LF should do okay. Our one and only Marans was nasty to her flockmates and attacked a Silkie pullet so re-homed her to an egg seller who says she is still unpleasant but they have another Marans to put her with and she's behaving somewhat but still unpleasant to smaller or gentler fowl. Just a bad bird I guess. Her eggs never got darker than #4 on the egg chart which is roughly about Welsummer's color on "average".
Welsummers I think would be better layers than BCMs only because Marans are dual-purpose and don't lay as often as straight egg-layer breeds. Our 7-lb Marans had a huge appetite and only averaged 3 eggs/week and I think Wellies do a bit better. Wellies - another breed I would love to try! People who bought Wellies from Whitmore Farms have really been posting favorably about the color of eggs from his line.
I love the black colored fowl like Langshans, JGs, etc. I really love the White fowl too but they get dingy or yellowy by summer. When we wanted another Leghorn we went with a Buff Leg rather than another White even though the Whites are the better layers - because I didn't want to deal with the bigger floppy comb and the dingy feathers on the White Leg.
I've had BRs and Doms and prefer the lightweight Dom both as dual purpose and slightly better tempered and easier on the feed bill. RIRs are good layers too but big hens if you eat them too. NHRs are just a tad smaller - had one of these by herself for the kid's pet and she layed every other day.
Currently I have 1 APA Blue Wheaten Ameraucana and 1 Buff Leghorn with the 2 Silkies and the mix has been good so far.
I'm retired and just too pooped most of the time to handle as much as you have on your farm. I could do it when younger but boy those old bones of mine complain a lot now LOL You must really love animals to care for so many. Do you breed goats for selling, meat, or milk?

 

[subhanalah]

I did not know that about the nutrients!! That's awesome! Will have to give it a try!

Look up fermented feed. Its rather easy (if you want to go to the trouble of soaking, may as well let it ferment!) And it should reduce their susceptibility to certain digestive ailments!
I've just started, and as you can tell, I'm screaming it from the rooftops lol.

Oh, it's also been shown to increase egg weight and shell weight in laying hens.

 

[Sylvester017]

I can do that. I was curious if they r ok with pellets, like if its bad for them to "digest". They seem to be eating it fine though.

Silkies have the cutest daintiest tongues and beaks. If they're hungry they'll eat but you can either crush up the big pellets or moisten it for them. And the Silkies stay hydrated and absorb more nutrients with moistened feed. We mix brown rice, quinoa, chia, whole oats, or whatever grain in with the mix overnight.

 

[austinbndr28]

I live in Washington and she lives in New Jersey, I was just asking for any breeders closer to her, what good what it do me to post in my "state" forum? Sorry I did not know looking for breeders was not allowed on this thread....

She was not saying your not aloud to look for breeders she was only recommending to look in the new jersey state forum and it would do good for your friend to find breeders around her if she wants someone close or breeders can ship across the U.S.

 

[RedReiner]

I live in Washington and she lives in New Jersey, I was just asking for any breeders closer to her, what good what it do me to post in my "state" forum? Sorry I did not know looking for breeders was not allowed on this thread....

She was not saying your not aloud to look for breeders she was only recommending to look in the new jersey state forum and it would do good for your friend to find breeders around her if she wants someone close or breeders can ship across the U.S.

yes if she were on BYC, Which she is not, that is why I asked. I assumed there would be Silkie breeders on the Silkie thread. I am well aware they can ship across the country, I do it myself all the time. I was just asking ... Usually when you ask on the other breed threads lots of friendly people help you out with recommendations. Thanks Though.

 

[BuckNBark Farm]

Soak the pellets overnight and they'll be nice and soft for the Silkies in the morning. Even my LF hens like the moistened feed. That's what I did when we accidentally got a big bag of pellets rather than crumbles.

I've been feeding pellets for the first time (2 bags so far). Nutrena "Feather Fixer". They said that their "All Flock" has small pellets as well. I usually add water to their food (it's mixed with some scratch), because mine like their food moist.
Pam

 

[chick rookie]

Slate grey legs on Ameraucans and EEs is a very good thing! Buff, Wheaten, and Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas seem to have lighter colored shanks than the other feather colors but slate is the SOP. The roos seem to have darker legs than the hens in my friend's flock.
BCMs in a LF should do okay. Our one and only Marans was nasty to her flockmates and attacked a Silkie pullet so re-homed her to an egg seller who says she is still unpleasant but they have another Marans to put her with and she's behaving somewhat but still unpleasant to smaller or gentler fowl. Just a bad bird I guess. Her eggs never got darker than #4 on the egg chart which is roughly about Welsummer's color on "average".
Welsummers I think would be better layers than BCMs only because Marans are dual-purpose and don't lay as often as straight egg-layer breeds. Our 7-lb Marans had a huge appetite and only averaged 3 eggs/week and I think Wellies do a bit better. Wellies - another breed I would love to try! People who bought Wellies from Whitmore Farms have really been posting favorably about the color of eggs from his line.
I love the black colored fowl like Langshans, JGs, etc. I really love the White fowl too but they get dingy or yellowy by summer. When we wanted another Leghorn we went with a Buff Leg rather than another White even though the Whites are the better layers - because I didn't want to deal with the bigger floppy comb and the dingy feathers on the White Leg.
I've had BRs and Doms and prefer the lightweight Dom both as dual purpose and slightly better tempered and easier on the feed bill. RIRs are good layers too but big hens if you eat them too. NHRs are just a tad smaller - had one of these by herself for the kid's pet and she layed every other day.
Currently I have 1 APA Blue Wheaten Ameraucana and 1 Buff Leghorn with the 2 Silkies and the mix has been good so far.
I'm retired and just too pooped most of the time to handle as much as you have on your farm. I could do it when younger but boy those old bones of mine complain a lot now LOL You must really love animals to care for so many. Do you breed goats for selling, meat, or milk?

What does SOP mean? I am going to breed the BCM"s 1 cause they are hard to find here, and 2 someday when I get lucky enough to have an Ameraucan I want to breed the 2 to get my own OE's love the egg color. Just a hobby project I want to do. the only chicks I have right now that I have experience with is the Lt. B and a little bit with the EE's, only ever had 3 in the last 2 years, one was old didn't lay but was an awesome adoptive mom!! Which is why we kept her around, other then I just liked her... lol and the other 2 I maybe got 6 eggs total from them before they got sick and died.
I used to have more than I do now but my husband died of Cancer in 2002 so I lost his income and had to downsize when I lost our big farm.
I breed goats mostly for 4-h milkers and 1 meat/milk cross. Also for 4-h.
My animals are my kids, it's hard to keep Money in mind when it comes time to sell any of them. BUT need feed money....

 

[BuckNBark Farm]

One of my lavender (self blue) chicks. And "Chai" Porcelain (blue cream) chick. 12 days old. Pam

Chai's mom is the hen in my avatar. -Pam Pittman

 

[K Epp]

Pam aren't you tiered of those babies and ready to rehome them.

 

[subhanalah]

Pam aren't you tiered of those babies and ready to rehome them.