Silkie thread!

[ultasol]

Quote:
I sell my culls locally. Many people would buy from a hatchery before they would pay the price for a show bird. They don't care about quality.
Besides, some of my culls are pretty darn nice. I have a GORGEOUS short backed, small combed, tight winged, black as midnight cockerel out in my coops that is a cull for me. Why? He has silver in his hackle. It's actually quite attractive, but not desirable for the breeding pen. He is correct otherwise. Better than a hatchery bird, still a cull. I am hoping to find him a home with a younger girl to go with.

 

[chikincrazee]

Colie so sorry for your loss...it hurts so bad to lose them in such a freakish way especially when the little guys are rather delicate to start with...I know my son and I shed tears everytime we lose one so I can only imagine the pain you are going through....once again sorry...Chris

 

[PamB]

Oh, I feel terribly for Colie. That is AWFUL! I'm so sorry.

 

[PamB]

Quote:
I pretty much get an egg per silkie every day, unless they are broody (which is often). The reason they are considered bad layers is because of how often they go broody.

 

[kelar]

So sorry to hear of your loss Colie. I know how much time, effort and love you've put into your birds


Ultasol has a very good point in that there are always extra boys that need to be dealt with in some way & hopefully it is humane. I'm afraid of CL because every time I put a roo on there I get a bunch of weird inquiries from people who obviously are not planning to use them as pets. I don't just kill them if I can find them a home because it's wrong to waste a bird that way, but have sold them to a known person for eating where they will be quickly and humanely butchered. I've been over to our local auction and frankly, they are treated so badly there, I'd rather kill them myself than put them through that horror. It's a reality of breeding that there will always be pet quality birds. The hens always find good pet homes and usually go to local people who can't keep roos and have no interest in breeding. It's rare that someone is willing to pay shipping for a pet roo. Like Jen, I often have very nice boys that just can't find homes even when they are very nice quality - most people only want one roo.

 

[reereechickens]

Oh Man!

So sorry Collie! That REALLY sucks! You are so sweet and care for other people and their Silkies!

 

[Tanichca]

Colie! Thats terrible!

I'm going to have to cull some birds over the next few days. A rooster and a hen for sure, barely even pet quality, and maybe my perpetual broodies. These birds have no crests, smooth feathers in some places, and they are mean. Some coyote will have a good snack.
Then i can get some SQ whites and partridges, and start my breeding program!

 

[Teresaann24]

have three black chicks already hatched out and more hatching....Have my fingers crossed these are some good qualities to throw into my cuckoo breeding pens.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
I pretty much get an egg per silkie every day, unless they are broody (which is often). The reason they are considered bad layers is because of how often they go broody.

X2

Almost all breeds are like this. The breeds with a reputation for laying fewer eggs are generally the same breeds that have a reputation for going broody. Though there are a few breeds that are sometimes thought of as seasonal layers. And there are individual birds of different breeds who simply lay very infrequently..

 

[TK Poultry]

On the culling subject. I've never really gone through a flock as this is my first year of really breeding and sinking my teeth into the standards and breeding. Its been a long time coming though. All of my silkie babies have all of their toes good foot feathering and the correct comb from what I can tell. I have on cockerel that is have some crest issues and I have a pullet that has some crest color issues. So what is the benchmark age for evaluation?

Colie I feel for you. I had to rebuild my whole flock after an ice storm. A tree fell on my chicken coop and killed all my birds but two. One came and lived (and still lives) in our garage and the other went onto the neighbors and never came home.

I really don't have any Silkie connections as of right now but any questions or anything let me know