Silkie thread!

[kellyloveschad]

 

[kellyloveschad]

Oh my, I would cry too. I also hung CDs outside.

They do work as long as the sun is out!!! That is the tree the hawk lives in I don't think they like me very much!!! lol

 

[Sylvester017]

Those are some gorgeous silkies!! I think it's funny because your partridge silkie looks almost exactly like mine.

And I think it's so funny because my silkie was the first of my flock to start laying (at a whopping 5 months), and I could not imagine how my backyard flock would be without my silkie.

My Silkies don't like my little red digital camera so getting a closeup is rare and they are constantly moving. If they see me, forget it, they come running, squawking, and circling my feet as I walk so a photo still is almost impossible. But yes, a couple beloved Silkies in the flock are my comedy for the day! They are a breed unto themselves -- like no other!

 

[Hinotori]

Why does it not work when I do @ and them a name?

Dont type @. Have to use the button by the add picture button in the reply area

 

[Sylvester017]

@Sylvester017 what breed is your hen the cuckoo one?
She looks lovely
Fionn.

TY for your interest! She is a rare Cuckoo Breda. Breda used to be called Guilderlands, Guilders, Grueldres, Kraaikops, Kraaikoppen, etc, in the Pioneer days of the U.S. but they never were entered in the APA because of the confusion of the many names they were called by (feathersite.com has a nice history writeup http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Breda/BRKBreda.html.) Only the pioneer Dominiques of the same era made it into the early APA standards. The Dutch recently reintroduced the Guilders as "Breda" and Greenfire Farms imported the BBS (Blue/Black/Splash) variety this past decade. Newer varieties like Cuckoo and Mottled have also been bred in the U.S.

I love Breda because they are a docile, gentle, lightweight large fowl to mix in with a flock of Silkies, they love human-family interaction, plus the Breda give a LOT more eggs than Silkies. My Blue Breda layed 10+ consecutive straight months without stop. I get the best of both worlds with Breda and Silkies -- preserving a rare Breda that is a good layer and uniquely beautiful plus I get to keep my funny fluffy Silkies together with them. My Ameraucana was gentle around the Silkies and the Breda was gentle around the Silkies AND Ameraucana!

BREDA have long-feathered legs/toes, long vulture hocks, a sizeable tail, absolutely NO comb, a triangle tassle where a comb normally is, and large cavernous nostrils, medium wattles on females at maturity, lay MED to LG eggs about 4-6 eggs/week. After a few weeks of foraging outdoors, however, the vulture hocks and feathered toes will break off shorter to more efficient lengths. Some people want fast-growing, fast-producing breeds, where I prefer a sweeter-temperament bird with decently fair production and am willing to wait for the slower maturity of the gentle sweet Breda. Once socialized these birds will be your shadow following you around everywhere whether as a house pet or an outdoor bird. I had Marans and a sweet White Leghorn but they were shy of human touch. A Breda is opposite and will be in your face always. Breda spook suddenly and calm just as quickly unlike Ameraucana or EEs that keep running when scared until they bump into something that stops them LOL! And unlike Silkies that tend to run around in circles when spooked LOL! Finding a description for the rare Breda can be termed "regal" or "elegant." Certainly a deliciously appealing breed.

CUCKOO BREDA




BLUE BREDA

 

[ChickenGrass]

Dont type @. Have to use the button by the add picture button in the reply area

@Hinotori thank you!

 

[Sylvester017]

Question: I'm paranoid about hawks too. I have completely enclosed my pen.
I was wondering if putting some of those plastic owls (with bobble heads) would keep hawks away ???

Nope, the plastic animals do not fool living animals. A stuffed life-like fox was used to roll by the outside of a chainlink chicken pen and the chickens didn't blink an eye at it! Once chickens see a plastic owl that doesn't fly away they don't pay attention to it either. Neither do the sparrows that sit on the plastic owl's head!

 

[Sylvester017]

My chicken pen is tighter than the Pteranodon cage on jurassic park...
My hands are cut, my nails are broke & I forfeited getting a new puse to make this happen...
Also my yard is fenced, so if anything or anyone thinks they're gonna come in from the land or air after my babies & I catch'em... May the force be with them

That's a good start. Depending on the predators of your area you'll probably find you'll be making future security adjustments. For us in the city our main concern is Cooper's Hawks, clever city Raccoons, Possums, and stray neighborhood dogs so we've secured accordingly. We use thick dog kennel wire walls for our pen so the Raccoons/Possums can't tear open the flimsier types of chicken wire pens. City Raccoons, Possums, Dogs, can be vicious -- I've already experienced stray mutts trying to get at my first little coop years ago and got a stronger coop the second time around.

FIRST OLD BACKYARD COOP FLIMSY WIRING



NEW DOG KENNEL THICKER FIRMER WIRE FOR CHICKEN PEN/ROOF

 

[Sylvester017]

Sorry after what i have heard of chickens not getting along i am happy my chickens never fight!!! maybe my twos silkie roosters are just good at keeping them inline!!

Brahmas are usually docile gentle temperament birds so not surprised they get along with your Silkies. I found Ameraucana and Breda two very docile breeds, and not too big, to have around gentle Silkies. I'm not zoned for roos but understand they are good peace keepers.

 

[kellyloveschad]

TY for your interest! She is a rare Cuckoo Breda. Breda used to be called Guilderlands, Guilders, Grueldres, Kraaikops, Kraaikoppen, etc, in the Pioneer days of the U.S. but they never were entered in the APA because of the confusion of the many names they were called by (feathersite.com has a nice history writeup http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Breda/BRKBreda.html.) Only the pioneer Dominiques of the same era made it into the early APA standards. The Dutch recently reintroduced the Guilders as "Breda" and Greenfire Farms imported the BBS (Blue/Black/Splash) variety this past decade. Newer varieties like Cuckoo and Mottled have also been bred in the U.S.

I love Breda because they are a docile, gentle, lightweight large fowl to mix in with a flock of Silkies, they love human-family interaction, plus the Breda give a LOT more eggs than Silkies. My Blue Breda layed 10+ consecutive straight months without stop. I get the best of both worlds with Breda and Silkies -- preserving a rare Breda that is a good layer and uniquely beautiful plus I get to keep my funny fluffy Silkies together with them. My Ameraucana was gentle around the Silkies and the Breda was gentle around the Silkies AND Ameraucana!

BREDA have long-feathered legs/toes, long vulture hocks, a sizeable tail, absolutely NO comb, a triangle tassle where a comb normally is, and large cavernous nostrils, medium wattles on females at maturity, lay MED to LG eggs about 4-6 eggs/week. After a few weeks of foraging outdoors, however, the vulture hocks and feathered toes will break off shorter to more efficient lengths. Some people want fast-growing, fast-producing breeds, where I prefer a sweeter-temperament bird with decently fair production and am willing to wait for the slower maturity of the gentle sweet Breda. Once socialized these birds will be your shadow following you around everywhere whether as a house pet or an outdoor bird. I had Marans and a sweet White Leghorn but they were shy of human touch. A Breda is opposite and will be in your face always. Breda spook suddenly and calm just as quickly unlike Ameraucana or EEs that keep running when scared until they bump into something that stops them LOL! And unlike Silkies that tend to run around in circles when spooked LOL! Finding a description for the rare Breda can be termed "regal" or "elegant." Certainly a deliciously appealing breed.

CUCKOO BREDA




BLUE BREDA

i want one!!