Silkie thread!

[Hawkeye95]

I have one tiny girl too, she always was. One of the more feisty of the bunch too! Look at the combs head on. I find here at an early age, the boys' combs are wider. Put all the hints together and you may have a better guess. Truthfully, I really love my boys the best! Can you not have roos there?

X2!! I love my boys the most too!! They are all so sweet and more friendly than my girls.

 

[Blondiechic]

How old are you silkies when they lay? I have two and neither are laying - when they go to bed at night one sleeps in laying box and the other either cuddles up next to her, or, more often, perches on the entry way, head in bum out - very cute, but I wonder what will happen when they start laying?
One is about 6 months and one about 4 months or thereabouts...would I be better off getting them a double roosting box, that is what I have been thinking - the big girls can take over the single one then...and don't silkies get all broody? I don't want anyone feeling left out...

 

[Hawkeye95]

How old are you silkies when they lay? I have two and neither are laying - when they go to bed at night one sleeps in laying box and the other either cuddles up next to her, or, more often, perches on the entry way, head in bum out - very cute, but I wonder what will happen when they start laying?
One is about 6 months and one about 4 months or thereabouts...would I be better off getting them a double roosting box, that is what I have been thinking - the big girls can take over the single one then...and don't silkies get all broody? I don't want anyone feeling left out...

Mine were closer to 8 months when they started laying. I'm sure that is different for everyone, but I'd guess right around that time frame.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

How old are you silkies when they lay? I have two and neither are laying - when they go to bed at night one sleeps in laying box and the other either cuddles up next to her, or, more often, perches on the entry way, head in bum out - very cute, but I wonder what will happen when they start laying?
One is about 6 months and one about 4 months or thereabouts...would I be better off getting them a double roosting box, that is what I have been thinking - the big girls can take over the single one then...and don't silkies get all broody? I don't want anyone feeling left out...

I've had Show and hatchery line birds and from experience they can start anywhere from 5 months to a year. Average is 7-8 months though.

 

[peepblessed]

It's just past 10:00 pm here in California and I have an incubator full of eggs and waiting for the power to go off as we got a notification from the power company. When it goes off I will hook up the batteries. I wish they had picked a more convenient time.

Anyway I thought I'd share some pictures I took of a lavender chick I have to sell here locally. I hate to sell it, such gorgeous foot feathering but it has very obvious split wing. It is four weeks old today and even though a very awkward age, it looked so pretty in the spring filaree I thought you all would enjoy it. If I didn't already have so much eye candy, I would just keep it!

 

[peepblessed]

To those who have or have had hatchery Silkies:
When did your boys start to crow? I'm still a little uncertain about my special Bear. I'm thinking it's a he because his comb is larger than my two I'm sure are girls but smaller than my two definite boys. But this might be because he's got wry neck. Giving him Vitamin E and he gets better for a while but then relapses. I tried separating him but he wont drink from a plain dish and I'm using all my waterers somewhere else. Any suggestions??

I use a large lid with a rock in it. The rock creates a shiny edge where the water touches it and draws their attention to the water and also keeps them from standing in it. So sorry about the wry neck. It's so hard to see them struggle with it.

 

[tyndall]

I'm looking at all the beautiful Silkie pics on this thread and wondering.....When do the beards and top knots start showing? I'm new to chickens and have six 3 week old Silkies but I can only see a little poof on the heads of 2 blacks - the others have nothing. (though all are beginning to show beautiful feathering) I know they are full and bearded because I bought them on site at a small hatchery that breeds for show and I saw the parents.

 

[Muzzie]

both look blue to me

I bought some silkie pullets yesterday thinking they were black. Well when I let them out this morning it looks like one of them is blue in the sunlight

and I do not need blues at all, just blacks. I have a hard time telling dark blue and black silkies a part. Are they black or blue? One is lighter than the other and I'm pretty sure the darker one is black.

Darker one on the left. Lighter one on the right.

Darker one.

Darker one on the left. Lighter one on the right.

Lighter one. Darker one behind her.

Darker one.

Lighter one. Looks really blue in this picture

for blacks. I've had a hard time trying to find blacks and barely hatch out any.

 

[mama2my4]

Heartbroken this morning. One of my beautiful 6 mo old blue pullets crowed.....

 

[chisNchickens]

Awww....sorry Peepblessed that sucks! What a beauty...

It's just past 10:00 pm here in California and I have an incubator full of eggs and waiting for the power to go off as we got a notification from the power company. When it goes off I will hook up the batteries. I wish they had picked a more convenient time.

Anyway I thought I'd share some pictures I took of a lavender chick I have to sell here locally. I hate to sell it, such gorgeous foot feathering but it has very obvious split wing. It is four weeks old today and even though a very awkward age, it looked so pretty in the spring filaree I thought you all would enjoy it. If I didn't already have so much eye candy, I would just keep it!