Silkie thread!

[tinaw587]

If you don't mind them coming from a hatchery you could check Cackle Hatchery

thanks though they have only straight run..I believe you have to order a bunch too. I'm mostly looking for maybe 2!

 

[jessivogel]

B
Any idea what kind of silkie this is? Or is it way to soon to be able to tell?

White silkie. You won't be able to tell the sex until they either lay an egg or crow. Which can be around six months or later.

 

[justin7]

White silkie. You won't be able to tell the sex until they either lay an egg or crow. Which can be around six months or later.

My aunts got a silkie and she laid her first egg right after she turned 4 months old. So I guess it just depends on the bird

 

[jessivogel]

My aunts got a silkie and she laid her first egg right after she turned 4 months old. So I guess it just depends on the bird

Definitely some don't lay until 8-10 months.

 

[jessivogel]

Would you guys take pictures to show of your coop/run (an overview shot so we can see the whole thing)
We just got moved and I'm wanting to build a few new coops/runs so I can start breeding!
Also, what colors do you put with what? I've read that whites should just be bred to whites. But what about partridge and blues?
Thanks in advance!!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Would you guys take pictures to show of your coop/run (an overview shot so we can see the whole thing)
We just got moved and I'm wanting to build a few new coops/runs so I can start breeding!
Also, what colors do you put with what? I've read that whites should just be bred to whites. But what about partridge and blues?
Thanks in advance!!

Here's mine, its not pretty, but it is very functional.

This is about the best overview shot I could manage from the outside. That outside door opens to a shed I use to store feed, supplies, ect. That little box used to have strawberries in it, until the chickens decimated it during free range time

Thats a bachelor pad and a bunny cage on the front next to the gate.

This is the view from inside the shed.

Integration cage (dog crate) and broody cage (small cage, I got tired of having to fight her for freshly laid eggs everyday).

The run. The coop in the bottom, which used to be an old two "seater" outhouse (we call it the poop coop) is used to separate out specific birds for breeding. I mostly use it for my blue, blacks and splashes to keep them pure. Right now it's housing some layers that are waiting for their new coop to be finished. I even kept the wooden toilet boxes to use as nest boxes

Its split off from the big run and has its own smaller (but still pretty big) run. And I've managed to get some grass to grow and stay in there

Inside coop view from the door that leads out to the run.

Coop from inside the run.

Its hard to see in the picture, but right now all of my Silkies and Sizzles are running together. I've got blue, black, splash, partridge/blue partridge, white and some other non standard colors in here now. This bigger main coop normally only contains my "fun flock". After the layers move out of the poop coop, my blues, blacks and splashes will move back in so they're not mixing with the non standard colors. I separate the partridges occasionally as well, but folks around here seem to prefer BBS and off colors.
If you want to do some serious breeding, its best to keep all of your colors separate (blue, black and splash can be penned together). Having two pens lets me keep my pure colors and my fun colors.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I like it I only have one coop but I am building a breeding pen though for the silkies and then eventually I might just raise and breed them completely and use the breeding pen then maybe as a chicken hospital or just for a small mixed flock for eggs in the fridge

 

[jessivogel]

Here's mine, its not pretty, but it is very functional. This is about the best overview shot I could manage from the outside. That outside door opens to a shed I use to store feed, supplies, ect. That little box used to have strawberries in it, until the chickens decimated it during free range time Thats a bachelor pad and a bunny cage on the front next to the gate. This is the view from inside the shed. Integration cage (dog crate) and broody cage (small cage, I got tired of having to fight her for freshly laid eggs everyday). The run. The coop in the bottom, which used to be an old two "seater" outhouse (we call it the poop coop) is used to separate out specific birds for breeding. I mostly use it for my blue, blacks and splashes to keep them pure. Right now it's housing some layers that are waiting for their new coop to be finished. I even kept the wooden toilet boxes to use as nest boxes Its split off from the big run and has its own smaller (but still pretty big) run. And I've managed to get some grass to grow and stay in there Inside coop view from the door that leads out to the run. Coop from inside the run. Its hard to see in the picture, but right now all of my Silkies and Sizzles are running together. I've got blue, black, splash, partridge/blue partridge, white and some other non standard colors in here now. This bigger main coop normally only contains my "fun flock". After the layers move out of the poop coop, my blues, blacks and splashes will move back in so they're not mixing with the non standard colors. I separate the partridges occasionally as well, but folks around here seem to prefer BBS and off colors. If you want to do some serious breeding, its best to keep all of your colors separate (blue, black and splash can be penned together). Having two pens lets me keep my pure colors and my fun colors.

Thanks!! I wish we had a shed that we could turn into a coop! We are on "company" housing for my husband's job. Only one teeny tiny shed- and that's for the mower they provide for the yard. My chickens were staying at my brother and sister in law's place. But we got some big mineral tubs (for shelter) and put up a pen with netting over the top. Eventually we will frame it in and side it with wood and turn one of the sides into a door so I can access it easier. Right now, everyone is in that pen. (Hatcher (pet) quality everything- someday I will get some show quality and start breeding them) a pair of Cayuga ducks, a pekin drake- white created duck, pair of guineas, trio of silver laced Wyandottes, pair of speckled Sussex, a buff Orpington rooster and 5 hens. All of the babies are in brooders inside- I got them from the feed store. After that- I did some research and discovered that feed store birds aren't very good quality. Hence- my endeavor to get some SQ birds!! Haha I want to breed silkies, polish, buff Orpingtons, and naked necks for chickens. I thought about breeding the SLWs and SSs... I don't think so though. Of course I want to get into some peafowl, guineas, and maybe even pheasants... Lol

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Thanks!! I wish we had a shed that we could turn into a coop! We are on "company" housing for my husband's job. Only one teeny tiny shed- and that's for the mower they provide for the yard.

My chickens were staying at my brother and sister in law's place. But we got some big mineral tubs (for shelter) and put up a pen with netting over the top.

Eventually we will frame it in and side it with wood and turn one of the sides into a door so I can access it easier.

Right now, everyone is in that pen. (Hatcher (pet) quality everything- someday I will get some show quality and start breeding them) a pair of Cayuga ducks, a pekin drake- white created duck, pair of guineas, trio of silver laced Wyandottes, pair of speckled Sussex, a buff Orpington rooster and 5 hens.

All of the babies are in brooders inside- I got them from the feed store. After that- I did some research and discovered that feed store birds aren't very good quality. Hence- my endeavor to get some SQ birds!! Haha

I want to breed silkies, polish, buff Orpingtons, and naked necks for chickens.

I thought about breeding the SLWs and SSs... I don't think so though. Of course I want to get into some peafowl, guineas, and maybe even pheasants... Lol

You're welcome! I lucked out, both buildings were already here when we bought the property. My husband and I did have to move the poop coop from the woods (he picked it up with the excavator and hoisted it up above the trees to move it, was a bit sketchy

), but we didn't have to do any construction.

Good luck getting the coop set up and ready, starting from the ground up gives you tons of options to customize your coop to your own preferences.

I want some peafowl too, and quail (I've had quail before, theres nothing cuter then a tiny, freshly hatched baby quail

) maybe next year. We decided to give Emu a go this year, so the peas will have to wait. I gave guineas a try, didn't care for them, but lots of folks love theirs

 

[Lamaremybabies]

thanks though they have only straight run..I believe you have to order a bunch too. I'm mostly looking for maybe 2!

True enough.