Silkie thread!

[jajeanpierre]

Yeah, Hatchery Pet Quality is a lower subset of Pet Quality - all the way down to "I Think Its a Silkie.. maybe" And yes, he is still called a Buff even with that white/cream on him. His genetics are for a Buff, if missing a few genes that make the Buff a nice dark even color instead of patchy - and possibly with an added one for that gold neck.

I don't know about them staying nice if you put them in with the girls - they might think they need to protect the girls from you. Your mean pullet is taking the job of protector since there isn't a boy around to do that. Also - they will probably fight each other if there are girls - just until one is the top dog and one is the second in command.

Some birds can continue to lay eggs when they are broody. I had a Silkie cross that laid an egg every day her entire broody time, tricked me into thinking the non-broody bird was laying. I removed those unmarked eggs and hatched them and I found out they were hers - all the other birds were silkied feathers and I had half smooth feathered chicks and some 4 toed chicks from those eggs. Her last 5 eggs were infertile - which isn't that surprising when you consider she attacked the rooster when she was on her daily constitutional if he came near her - he never had a chance.

You might want to tempt your broody girl with some high-protein treats to get her health back up, if you haven't already. Scrambled eggs, mealworms, etc. If she doesn't have anything to hatch to break her out of the broody (i.e. chicks) she can get pretty skinny from not eating. If you are trying to break her be aware unless you make it uncomfortable to set she can take two months or longer to break. I always break mine by sticking them in with a bunch of boys and take away all the eggs - the boys pester her until she hides on the roost in self defense - and stops being broody.

I have one broody Silkie right now - and another is making the motions (walking around clucking, spending a lot of time on the nest after she laid an egg). I think sometimes it doesn't matter on the amount of sunlight with the Silkies - when they are triggered to brood off they go.

Thanks so much for all the information you gave me.

I think you gave me enough insight that I probably know the answer--I want to keep the two cockerels separate from the pullets. The pullets are quite peaceful and so are the cockerels. Up until last weekend, the cockerels had my very big back yard and they would come over to the side fence to talk to the girls who are always interested in boys. The two buff Silkie pullets are little hussies--escaping their pen to run with the four Ameraucana cockerels, happy as can be when the cockerels jump on them. Now that I've given the back yard to the pullets, I have penned the cockerels in a 10 x 6 foot dog kennel I can move around for fresh grass. The pen is in the back, but behind the pool and the pullets haven't really gone over to that part of the yard yet--which begs the question: Do chickens fall in pools? I've made the pool and cabana "inconvenient" for them to get to, but they could if they were determined.

I'll start giving mealworms to the two that spend too much time in the nest boxes and seem to be dropping weight. I'll also add some Calf Manna.

Thanks again for sharing.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Thanks so much for all the information you gave me.

I think you gave me enough insight that I probably know the answer--I want to keep the two cockerels separate from the pullets. The pullets are quite peaceful and so are the cockerels. Up until last weekend, the cockerels had my very big back yard and they would come over to the side fence to talk to the girls who are always interested in boys. The two buff Silkie pullets are little hussies--escaping their pen to run with the four Ameraucana cockerels, happy as can be when the cockerels jump on them. Now that I've given the back yard to the pullets, I have penned the cockerels in a 10 x 6 foot dog kennel I can move around for fresh grass. The pen is in the back, but behind the pool and the pullets haven't really gone over to that part of the yard yet--which begs the question: Do chickens fall in pools? I've made the pool and cabana "inconvenient" for them to get to, but they could if they were determined.

I'll start giving mealworms to the two that spend too much time in the nest boxes and seem to be dropping weight. I'll also add some Calf Manna.

Thanks again for sharing.

Yes, chickens can fall in the pool. They can also swim- so they should have a way to get out when they get to the sides. Otherwise they can get tired of paddling and drown... We had a yard full of chickens and a big pool and only ever lost one bird. The others learned very quickly that the big water was NOT fun to be in.... Our water was almost up to the top all the time so the birds could get out from any edge. If you keep the water lower they may have problems.

 

[kabhyper1]

So I have been hand feeding my little guys, showing them my hands aren't scary. They are getting very friendly. They are now starting to bite me though. Should I not hand feed? Or is it an age thing? They are 3 weeks and 5 weeks old.

 

[masked rider]

Silkie Hatch Quiz of the day... Black Roo x Black hen, 9 black chicks and this little guy???

Any ideas on how, why and what color the bird would will be, offically?

 

[kabhyper1]

I also forgot to add in my above post that even though they are in an indoor brooder and not in contact with any other chickens, the babies are sneezing and a couple have clear liquid runny noses. All eating and drinking and playing just fine. Acting normally, just sneezing a lot. They have been excavating in their wood chips a lot lately. Maybe just dust? I have durymycin 10. Should I put them on it just in case? I don't like to medicate if I don't have to.

 

[kabhyper1]

Silkie Hatch Quiz of the day... Black Roo x Black hen, 9 black chicks and this little guy???

Any ideas on how, why and what color the bird would will be, offically?

I have no idea, maybe splash?

 

[masked rider]

I have no idea, maybe splash?

Splash... hmmm.. that would be cool for sure. I was surprised to see the little guy under the black hen this afternoon. I picked the hen up thinking to see only black, and bam... they she was... interesting for sure... My girls are 100% sure it is a pullet!!!

How is splash normally produced in silkies? I would think from a black on black cross that would be tough, maybe not... interesting..

 

[kabhyper1]

Splash... hmmm.. that would be cool for sure. I was surprised to see the little guy under the black hen this afternoon. I picked the hen up thinking to see only black, and bam... they she was... interesting for sure... My girls are 100% sure it is a pullet!!!

How is splash normally produced in silkies? I would think from a black on black cross that would be tough, maybe not... interesting..

I know blue x blue or splash x blue or splash x splash will. Not sure about Black x black. I was guessing based on appearance. Could be a black chick that just has a lot more light fluff than the others. Idk Im not very experienced.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Splash... hmmm.. that would be cool for sure. I was surprised to see the little guy under the black hen this afternoon. I picked the hen up thinking to see only black, and bam... they she was... interesting for sure... My girls are 100% sure it is a pullet!!!

How is splash normally produced in silkies? I would think from a black on black cross that would be tough, maybe not... interesting..

Splash is a double copy of the blue gene (B). It is not the lavender/self blue gene, though--that's a different gene altogether.

Splash takes two copies of that gene. Splash (BB) is produced from two blue parents (Bb x Bb) or a splash and a blue parent (BB x Bb). You won't get splash from a black bird (bb). When breeding blue to blue (Bb x Bb), 25% should be splash (BB), 25% black (bb) and 50% blue (Bb). When breeding splash to blue (BB x Bb), half will be splash (BB) and half will be blue (Bb).

There is different genetics for down color and adult plumage color.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

what breed is my "Napkin"?

Looks like a frizzled slkie