Silkie thread!

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Rowsdower said:
If she's a blue, she's fooled a lot of judges. lol
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Really depends on the shows you are going to. Small county fairs and local shows will enlist volunteer judges.
My hen looks black but is lighter near the skin.
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Hi all, I'm a beginner "mama hen" and decided my first 2 hens HAD to be silkies. I have 2 white ones which I got at 14 months old. Having no experience at all I have a question: I was told when I got them a week ago that one was broody. One seemed so at first but now they are both out and about all day. Perhaps her broodiness stopped when she changed home. I only find 1 egg every 2 days between the 2 of them. I can't tell which one is laying as they look identical and tend to share a lay box at night. They were born together and I bought them both for that reason. I didn't get them for "high egg production" but is this normal or should I be doing something? Also I was told their wings aren't clipped - but I read silkies aren't great fliers anyway. Should I still be getting their wings clipped? Next door dog may not be so nice to them of thy escaped their run and flew over the low fence.
 
mamahen amateur said:
Hi all, I'm a beginner "mama hen" and decided my first 2 hens HAD to be silkies. I have 2 white ones which I got at 14 months old. Having no experience at all I have a question: I was told when I got them a week ago that one was broody. One seemed so at first but now they are both out and about all day. Perhaps her broodiness stopped when she changed home. I only find 1 egg every 2 days between the 2 of them. I can't tell which one is laying as they look identical and tend to share a lay box at night. They were born together and I bought them both for that reason. I didn't get them for "high egg production" but is this normal or should I be doing something? Also I was told their wings aren't clipped - but I read silkies aren't great fliers anyway. Should I still be getting their wings clipped? Next door dog may not be so nice to them of thy escaped their run and flew over the low fence.
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Your broody probably did come out of it due to changing homes. Probably the broodiness along with the stress of a move is causing your low egg production too. As far as clipping their wings, there's no need. :) Silkies can't fly due to the 'shredded' primaries. I think they can get about 3' of air if they're really trying, but I wouldn't worry too much. I'd suggest a fully enclosed pen though. Silkies being smaller and potentially having impaired vision if they have larger crests/beards makes them prime targets for lots of predators. Good luck with yours! It's addicting for sure!
 
mamahen amateur said:
Hi all, I'm a beginner "mama hen" and decided my first 2 hens HAD to be silkies. I have 2 white ones which I got at 14 months old. Having no experience at all I have a question: I was told when I got them a week ago that one was broody. One seemed so at first but now they are both out and about all day. Perhaps her broodiness stopped when she changed home. I only find 1 egg every 2 days between the 2 of them. I can't tell which one is laying as they look identical and tend to share a lay box at night. They were born together and I bought them both for that reason. I didn't get them for "high egg production" but is this normal or should I be doing something? Also I was told their wings aren't clipped - but I read silkies aren't great fliers anyway. Should I still be getting their wings clipped? Next door dog may not be so nice to them of thy escaped their run and flew over the low fence.
Click to expand...
You are right to think the broody hen lost the "mood" when she moved coops. It is likely her sister laying the eggs. The broody girl will return to laying in a few more weeks of rest if she was just on a full nest before you got her. It is true that some silkies lay more than others. Some will lay seasonally for a year or two and stop laying altogether. I have some hens that lay every day for three weeks then go broody. I have some that lay for a week a couple times a year and never go broody. It is an individual thing in some silkie strains aka families.
You don't need to clip a purebred silkies wings because the silky nature of their primary and secondary wing feathers. They are barbless feathers and render them useless for flight.
Silkies are small and will look for small spaces to escape from. Keeping them safe from predators is very important.
 
This thread moves fast :) but wanted to say thank you for those who chime in and gave me my chick color advice. I do have a porcelain, which is exciting to know :)
 

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