Silkie thread!

[silkiecuddles]

Here's a pic of my hatchery silkie rooster, Dr. Suess. None of my hatchery silkies have impressive crests.

I ordered 6 silkies from Meyer, and half of them were males!

 

[silkiecuddles]

I've decided to move away from the Silkies and focus on Salmon Favs... now I have to decide who to keep and who to let go of.

I have a roo, 3 years old, buff with blue ehrmm... accents? (I was told he was 'smutty buff'). He's staying.
Hen wise, I have:
~White hen, 3-4 years old, ten toes, but one has a double claw. A couple black feathers in her tail. Currently broody, and quite a good mother.
~Lavender hen, 3 years old, a bit small, with a diminutive top knot and nine toes.
~2 Light and one Dark Partridge, 2 years old. No real issues, but top knots aren't very impressive.
~Wheaten(?) hen... looks light buff over creamy white, a touch of barring in her wingtips. 1.5 - 2 years old, Average top knot.
~3 Blue hens, approx. 1.5 - 2 years old, bought from a local breeder with nicer quality birds. One has a pretty impressive top knot.
~2 Silver Partridge pullets, almost 1 year old, the best top knots out of my birds so far. One is slightly darker than the other. I *think* they have proper toes too.
Also, I just hatched out some Silkies and Silkie/Frizzles, and of the ones I'm thinking of keeping, I have two that are lavender (maybe light blue, not sure yet)... one frizzled, one normal.

I'm thinking of keeping one of each color, the oldest white gal, the dark partridge, the 'wheaten', the blue with the biggest top knot, a silver partridge, and one of the lavender chicks if they are female. I might keep a light partridge too, but I favor the dark over the light.

What do you guys think? I'm mainly in it just for the fun, but I don't want to produce sub-par birds either. (I do like getting 'interesting' colors though lol!)

Are you planning on selling the silkies you aren't keeping? If you are, I might be interested

 

[Rocky64]

Here's a pic of my hatchery silkie rooster, Dr. Suess. None of my hatchery silkies have impressive crests. I ordered 6 silkies from Meyer, and half of them were males!

It stinks when you get chicks from hatcheries, or really anywhere, and half or more than half end up being roosters.

 

[flockofbantams]

Hi I am hoping to start showing and maybe breeding silkies. should i look for a local breeder or just buy hatchery chicks? Are hatchery chicks quality enough for showing? and breeding? Im just wondering, I just love the breed
Thanks

Everyone has always told me breeder chicks are better for showing and breeding.,most hatchery chicks are not bearded and there crest are not the biggest or fluffiest. That being said I have a hatchery chick and they are just as beautiful and sweet. But If You like the beard and fluff on the top knot it's best to have breeder quality.
Like someone else said hatchery focus more on quantity instead of quality.

 

[Rocky64]

Here's a pic of my hatchery silkie rooster, Dr. Suess. None of my hatchery silkies have impressive crests. I ordered 6 silkies from Meyer, and half of them were males!

even if Dr. Seuss is not show quality himself, he could be a breeder bird, which means that a bird would not perform well in the shows, but it has no DQ's and so would be good to breed to a show bird because the chicks would have no DQ's (or few) and would have show quality blood. The chicks could also be a show quality.

 

[Regin]

Quote:
Statistically HALF of ALL chicks are male. Sometimes more; sometimes less. Most of the time they will only sell straight run for bantam breeds.

 

[judy mclean]

My still air does that now. How old is the bator? Is it a little giant or a hovabator or another type of still air? The little giants sometimes have trouble with stable temps. That is I why do not do anything still air or in styrafoam.


On another note has anyone noticed that Little Giant redid there new model with digital control instead of that crappy little knob?

This is my bator

 

[silkiecuddles]

Quote: I've read that that kind of incubator doesn't give very good results. I got an Brinsea Oxagon 8 (I think that's what it's called) for Christmas two years ago. I've read that Brinsea incubators are the best kind. Haven't used it yet. I guess I'm scared to, plus I don't currently have room for new chickens

 

[Regin]

Quote: I've read that that kind of incubator doesn't give very good results. I got an Brinsea Oxagon 8 (I think that's what it's called) for Christmas two years ago. I've read that Brinsea incubators are the best kind. Haven't used it yet. I guess I'm scared to, plus I don't currently have room for new chickens


I have a modified Hovabator, a Brinsea Eco 20, and two The Farm Innovators Pro Series Circulated Air Incubators.

The new Hovabator I bought last year and renovated after the first use. I can work with the little knobs But that metal disk thermostat had to go!




The Brinsea eco 20 is hard to maintain high humidity for hatching, but is fine otherwise.

Any of these incubators without the digital control are hard to get set up. All seem to hold the temperature fairly steady.

I use two pharmacy thermometers to set them up. One goes in the air hole for top temperature, and the other is inserted in the seam at egg level.

 

[judy mclean]

I've read that that kind of incubator doesn't give very good results. I got an Brinsea Oxagon 8 (I think that's what it's called) for Christmas two years ago. I've read that Brinsea incubators are the best kind. Haven't used it yet. I guess I'm scared to, plus I don't currently have room for new chickens

I guess I'm going to be getting a new incubator I can't have this happen again