Silkie thread!

[silly4buttons]

They do here is my white silkie from them

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote: Chicks are never SQ. Chicks are BQ until proven otherwise so you should never sell your chicks as "SQ". If they have no obvious disqualifications then they are BQ.

Yours are probably fine as BQ, mine are PQ because they are mixed colors and the parents are BQ and PQ... so I sell them as PQ. They may turn out nicer, but I won't have anybody mad at me no matter what they turn out like.

 

[kabhyper1]

Quote:
I should have clarified that I meant when they were older and we can see what they are going to be like then sell them. I would only sell them as breeder quality now. I know you get the occasional bird with less toes or other reasons they would be dq'd for show, I wasn't sure if there was something else I should know when I go to sell them. I don't want to misrepresent my birds. The two babies in the house from the first hatch have perfect feet and combs (even though they are tiny lol) The colors seem good, but its early to tell. I am anxious to see what is under my girl outside. I am scared to look to soon, I don't want to shrink wrap any chicks, so I may have to wait a few days. Will she kick out the hatched shells? Or should I reach under and clear them out? I only ask because there are so many eggs!

 

[ChickNmamma]

I should have clarified that I meant when they were older and we can see what they are going to be like then sell them. I would only sell them as breeder quality now. I know you get the occasional bird with less toes or other reasons they would be dq'd for show, I wasn't sure if there was something else I should know when I go to sell them. I don't want to misrepresent my birds. The two babies in the house from the first hatch have perfect feet and combs (even though they are tiny lol) The colors seem good, but its early to tell. I am anxious to see what is under my girl outside. I am scared to look to soon, I don't want to shrink wrap any chicks, so I may have to wait a few days. Will she kick out the hatched shells? Or should I reach under and clear them out? I only ask because there are so many eggs!

She will kick out the hatched shells, and keep the chicks nice and warm. Give us pictures when she brings them out to show them off in a few days. Usually my first clue on how many chicks there are under a broody is how many half shells she has kicked out.

 

[kabhyper1]

She will kick out the hatched shells, and keep the chicks nice and warm. Give us pictures when she brings them out to show them off in a few days. Usually my first clue on how many chicks there are under a broody is how many half shells she has kicked out.

Okay good. I figured she would handle everything. It's her first time so I am nervous for her. The little white face that peeked out at me looked pretty peppy, so I hope they are all like that. I feel like I will never see them since it is getting colder out. How long can chicks stay out from under their mother in 50 degree weather? I know they know when to go back under,I just never timed it lol.

 

[chickee]

What colors were used to make the porcelains? I have a couple of porcelain chicks that almost look partridge.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote: It is really amazing to me to watch those chicks run around, get wet and/or cold and go back under mom - and they are as healthy as ... well ok - not horses - but definitely healthy chickens! The chicks time it according to how cold they are - and they will learn pretty quickly to go back under mom when they are cold. The first few days mom has to put them back under - and its important the chicks can't get far from her because she isn't going to get up to go get a straggler if she is hatching others. If you spot one too far away from mom I would encourage the straggler back towards her - hopefully without annoying mom.

You hear so much about keeping brooder chicks at X degrees for a week, and lowering it slowly. I think those chickens know something we don't....

I have 8 babies outside all day long running around with moms, its getting down into the 40s at night here too. When they are cold under mom they go. They range from 4 weeks to 8 weeks old now - and they don't need 75-85 degree weather to be out running around.

 

[kabhyper1]

Quote:
When I brought the silkies in the house the other day when they were ill, I had the brooder at 80 to start and it climbed to 92. At 92 they were hot! I moved the lamp a bit and it has been around 83- 85 and they are okay, but i think being outside the first 6 days the brooder was way too hot for them. Different than chicks from an incubator that are in a brooder the whole time and used to the 90's. I think as humans we over think things that our pets do. I guess sometimes we aren't always smarter than they are. It amazes me the natural mothering instincts a hen has with her very first brood. These girls of mine are all under a year old, and just starting to lay. Silkies seem like the dingiest birds, but when it comes to mothering they sure know what they are doing. I have seen humans with more trouble parenting than my hens have. lol

 

[chickee]

What colors were used to make the porcelains? I have a couple of porcelain chicks that almost look partridge.

OK, ChickNmamma. I see that you already posted about this in March and as I thought, it is Lavender (lav x lav) x Buff (buff x buff) that makes porcelain. Right? Then true porcelain x porcelain = 100% porcelain?

 

[sheeshshe]

my hen calls the chicks to go under her when she says it is time. I never see the chicks just huddle under her on purpose. she always tells them when it is time.