Silkie thread!

700

700

700

My progress so far on my silkie coop.
 
I have some 3 1/2 week old chicks from Ideal. Four are white Silkies as I am hoping for a hen or two who will go broody and hatch and raise chicks. These are my first Silkies and I don't know what their primary wing feathers should look like. All four chicks have long, thin soft wing feathers that seem smooth with fuzzy edges. The rest of their feathers are as I expected. Are the wing feathers correct for Silkies? If not, might they be able to fly (or assisted jump) better?

The Silkie chicks are better than I expected as all have flat triangular combs, black skin, legs, and feet, dark beaks, the correct number of toes, and possibly little muffs. They all have feathers on their outside toes and legs, thin on three chicks and heavy on the fourth one. They have normal shaped heads, not vaulted, which I am happy about. They are holding their own well with the larger chicks (New Hampshire and Barred Rock pullets).

Based on behavior, I think I have two pullets and a roo; I keep changing my mind about the fourth one.
I ordered from IDEAL and my Silkie has wing feathers like this.
 
Just had a very close call with a blacksnake!
I'm no stranger to snakes having grown up in Florida and have dispatched Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes and even a Coral Snake on one occasion, but I have a snake / chicken related question.

I had spent most of the day setting up a smaller run for the roosters so that we could put out our buff orps for the first time without being accosted.
The run only had wire around the four sides but nothing on top.

I looked out the window about an hour ago and I'm not sure what struck me, but I had a feeling that something was wrong.
I went outside and saw the boys clustered in one end and starting to panic and then I saw about a 6 foot blacksnake making it's way into the run.
I got the chance to toss one of the three roosters out of the run before the snake struck Moe and started to coil around him.
I grabbed the snake about a third of the way from his tail and whipped it hard twice which dislodged Moe, who went flying to the ground outside the run and I let the snake go since I could tell it was doubling back for me.
Moe was freaked out as was I and I know he got bit, but he's safe for the moment.
My question is, I know a snake would go after eggs and chicks, but why on earth would it go for a 19-1/2 week old Silkie?
Should I be looking for infection on Moe and how do I go about fortifying the runs?
I would hate to have to shoot a black snake since they are beneficial, but I can't have the biggest one I've ever seen killing my chickens.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom