Silkie thread!

[Teresaann24]

Just went and picked up my cuckoo silkie eggs this morning!! Paid for 6 and got 12!!!!!!!!! None broken, Air cells attached letting them rest till tomorrow morning and then sticking them in the bator. Now just have my fingers crossed I have a good hatch!

 

[Sebrightmom]

Since others post pictures of their birds, I thought I would too.

Here are a few I hatched out of my birds last year.

Here is a picture of a rooster I might keep. Please let me know what you think of him. He has wonderful toes and a good comb.I just wish he was darker.

Here is one of my roosters.

 

[Smokehouse13]

Quote:

good luck on your cuckoo hatch

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

I like that third one. Is that a partridge or cuckoo?

 

[Gordonhillfarm]

Oh my goodness ---- I'm with you on the weather . They say when you live in Maine just blink yours eyes and the weather changes -- that"s no lie . we had high 40s yesterday with rain , this morning it's freezeing rain turning to snow by late afternoon . I do love it here though . I really love a good challenge and life here is never boreing thats for sure . Tammy

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Colie <3 :

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Those numbers are for small bantams; Silkies are at the large end of the spectrum, and should have 7 sq ft per bird minimum of run space. Depending on climate where one lives, and the amount of time that the birds may end up confined to the coop should be the primary consideration on its size. For birds that do nothing but sleep in hte coop, and have access to additional space almost all the time, minimal coop space is needed, for areas with severe winters or rain conditions that keep the birds confined to the coop fairly often during the days, they need more space there.

I didn't even think of the weather aspect, good points

I live in Texas far far west in the desert so I kinda forget that other people have cruddy weather a lot more than we do. Right now it's been in the high 70's low 80's so lots of outside time.

I won't be so happy once the hot weather hits though it's miserable here!
I'm planning for 3-4 sq ft per silkie of coop space but I have decently large runs for them and a 85 sq ft movable run that I plan to alternate days for my color groups to enjoy. Oh and and an ok sized yard for them to free-range in (under supervision though because I'm scared of hawks!) The plan is to watch how they tolerate the space issue and then adjust flock size accordingly. Sound ok?
Any tips on keeping cool in the summer? My coop builder maximized the ventilation options on my coops but I'm sure there are other things I can do right?​

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Just wanted to note that we have the bantam silkies ... max about 2 pounds each. Wish I knew inches size! So the plan I came up with (house 4x4x2 tall, raised 2 feet up so space underneath; run 4x8) should be plenty of room for 3 to 4 bantam silkies. Even in our winter (we have a major snowstorm happening right now) because snow doesn't linger on the ground, and when it rains, it soaks right in. We have mostly sand for soil.

The house being raised 2 feet will provide plenty of shade for our very hot summers. Should also help with our blizzardy winters, and there will be an extra 2 feet of overhang over the entrance of their house to provide more shade and shelter. Especially since we're planning open-air housing system.

About the weather: teens and 20s here and expecting another 12 inches or so to the 1 1/2 we got last night. then 50's and 60's the rest of the week. I'm from KY so yeah, I remember the weather but believe me, it's just as screwed up in Colorado! And yuh huh ... I'm ready for Spring!

Very informative here!

So ... anyone know how big (in inches/height) bantam silkies get? I know max weight is 32 oz for roos.

 

[reereechickens]

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That's how I got started!

Just looking and now I have 7 Silkies in the past 2 weeks!

 

[kfchickenlady]

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That's how I got started!

Just looking and now I have 7 Silkies in the past 2 weeks!

me too...adding to my 4 this weekend!

 

[gavinandallison]

At what age do you normally allow Silkies to go outside full-time? They have a 10x10 building - ventilated, along with a 10x20 run with cover. I am looking at around 8 weeks old, or will that be too soon? I have a heat lamp out there to add heat if necessary.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Okay, so I decided to go with buffs! I love them, im up for the challenge seeing as I am also doing Buff OEGBs and Dutch. (im thinking by the time im done with these [like that's ever gunna happen] i will be a very buff man) <--- Sorry bad pun.


So my pan is to start off with a very nice BQ/SQ pair, next year breed them and also hatch some buff chicks from another (Quality) line and only keep the best!

I talked to a long time judge/breeder and said that buff is very hard to breed he said if he gets a nice bird that has, say, very dark quills he will keep it in a 'library' which is basically where he keeps potential breeders. So if he has a light hen that needs to be darkend he will put the dark cock in with him to hopefully darken the bird.

What am i getting myself into?