Silkie thread!

[TalkBahk2Me]

The U.K. and Europe has both large fowl and bantam Silkies.  On FeatherSite.com their Silkie page shows the difference in size between the LF and bantam Silkies -- so cute!
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Silkies/BRKSilkies.html

That's great to know! My Vietnamese friends told me about their culture with them; so I'm happier to know they are raised in Full Size models in U.K. & Europe

for pet purposes

 

[TalkBahk2Me]

And today...I just successfully hatched my first two silkies eggs! Whoot woot!

I hope they are cuckoo colored! It's hard to guess since dad could be my cuckoo, or paint 'leopard appaloosa imo' , or the solid black with silver neck..? Hmm

 

[summerb123]

Congratulations!

 

[lynly444]

Congratulations!!!!!

 

[Goosegrrl]

I've never trimmed feathers on any of our breeds. We have only two older Silkie hens and I catch them nibbling each other's eye fluff and take care of their own vision. Also, our two girls are free-rangde so crest, beard, leg, and toe feathers all get worn down from scratching and dust-bathing. They are so beautiful after a molt but in a couple weeks they're fluff and crests get matted, tangled, separated or pressed together and don't need trimming:

Our Partridge got so grungy from molting feather shafts and muddy tush so we gave her a bath and blow dry.


Molting is bringing in some fluffy feathering on these old girls:



But most of the time we see our Silkies like this where their eyes are definitely no longer fluffed over after free-ranging! They look like they've been in a dog fight but that tells me they've been busy foraging and exploring!

A few of my flock just have the extreme fluff around their heads and faces.
Not sure if it's because I'm in FL where the ground is only very light sand, but I don't get wear and tear on the feathering, just a dusty dirty look to foot feathering. Not even muddy. Just dark dusty.
Weather was not good today, extremely windy and rainy, so no trimming was done.
I'll try to get some good close-up before/after pics of them and I think the need for their trims should be evident.
They are housed with OEGBs and 3 SS hens(for standard sized eggs to use in baking), and so far I have had zero feather picking from anyone. And zero picking of any dropped feathers in the coop. I have been feeding the Nutrena Naturewise Feather Fixer(along with supp oyster shell for the ladies) to everyone because the calcium is a bit lower than layer ration for the roos, and they all look in top shape.

On a side note: One of my young OEGB hens who has just started laying again after a short 'winter' (winter in FL) break of about one month just started back up by laying a full sized egg... full sized like the size my SS hens lay! I was shocked at the size of it. OUCH! Poor little girl. LOL
I can easily tell the OEGB eggs from the SS eggs because of the color and sheen. The SS eggs are a light pinkish tan and very matte, almost chalky, the OEGB eggs are cream-ivory colored and have a sheen to them, like porcelain. I never expected to get an egg that big out of such a tiny little hen.
Fingers crossed on my Silkies starting to lay soon since they are coming to age at springtime. <3

 

[TalkBahk2Me]

Congratulations!

Thank you

Congratulations!!!!!

Thank you

 

[TalkBahk2Me]

Hope your silkies start laying soon! And yes this freezing cold (lmao winter) in Florida is just enough to make everyone stop egging for molt time! Finally half mine hens are out of molt now, and starting up the egg factories haha

 

[emvickrey]

My hen is broody right now and her girls are just starting to lay. Mine are paints. Well the roo is black n hen is paint. I managed to get 4 pullets from them this summer. I have 3 paint pullets and 1 black pullet. I need to take pics.

 

[Cynthia12]

My hen is broody right now and her girls are just starting to lay. Mine are paints. Well the roo is black n hen is paint. I managed to get 4 pullets from them this summer. I have 3 paint pullets and 1 black pullet. I need to take pics.

Ooo yes, pictures. I want to be able to breed. Need a .. ahem..quiet rooster!

 

[TalkBahk2Me]

 Ooo yes, pictures.   I want to be able to breed.  Need a .. ahem..quiet rooster!  

I second that on needing pics they all must be sooo pretty! Congrats your hatch and so many Pullets!

Cynthia 12- you could always get your roo a crow collar to minimize the noise output

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