Silkie thread!

[ThaiChick]

So glad you posted this pic because I was thinking about getting rid of one of my birds because I thought she was a he!

BrahmaBreeder: This is what I was talking about--- this is one of my girls (at bath time) but you can see her comb really well. See how it's like a ball? This se

ems to be a pretty typical comb for my girls. See how it doesn't go very far on either side of the beak? But it's really narrow and small? When birds start out with big wide combs that go past either side of the beak-- I immediately think boy. And usually it's right. Anyway, your Blue looks very similar to this in comb.

 

[Adoravachick]

In silkies it is a DQ.

I am trying to learn as much as I can as far as standards go. I want to be able to be objective about which chicks we want to keep....when they grow up a little. The eggs are rockin' and rollin' now, they'll be here soon! I have learned so much from all of you so far.

 

[ThaiChick]

Good luck on your hatch!

Your girl looks as if she's thinking, "Is this silliness of getting me all wet going to take much longer? Haha! But she looks so super cute like that.

I am currently incubating my first batch of Silkies. I've never had chickens before so I'm a complete newbie. It's 20 shipped eggs. Two were unfertilized and one didn't make it past day 3-4. The 17 that are left are all developing consistently, are wiggling around quite well inside their shells, and have excellent air sacs that are beginning to tilt down one side (based on careful candling). All my research seems to have paid off as I seem to have great success up to this point. I'm soooo nervous about "lockdown" stating tonight. I'm praying my good instincts and learned info give me a perfect hatch.

Any last minute advice for a Silkie incubating newbie? I'd also appreciate measurements/specifics for proper aspects of the coop, considering I've read that Silkies don't fly and need coop modifications that are different than typical coops. My guy is building it and it's more like a palace than a coop (I love it!). It would help him greatly to have the correct height for nesting boxes, ramp width/angle, etc...
Thanks

 

[brahmabreeder]

Quick question about sexing my silkies. If they are starting o get color to their wattles does that mean they are male? Again they are 2 1/2 months old.

 

[kbreak]

I used the zip ties once but they grow so fast. I had trouble cutting them off. The last hatch I cut little pieces of pipe cleaners and fold the point over, then wrapped it around their leg. Worked good and wasn't hard to take off as they grew.

 

[Adoravachick]

Just a quick question. Can bearded and non bearded be bred together? What will you get if there is an accidental breeding?

 

[ThaiChick]

Debbi - I liked your idea for safety rails on your coop ramps. I envision something like the old school airplane stairs.

 

[mama2my4]

I used the zip ties once but they grow so fast. I had trouble cutting them off. The last hatch I cut little pieces of pipe cleaners and fold the point over, then wrapped it around their leg. Worked good and wasn't hard to take off as they grew.

I use really thin zips and can clip them off with nail clippers. The thing is to get them off while there is still a little room so that you can get both sides of the clippers around them.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quick question about sexing my silkies. If they are starting o get color to their wattles does that mean they are male? Again they are 2 1/2 months old.

Their wattles should still remain a dark mulberry color. In the picture I posted of my pullet at bath time showing you her comb-- you can see her wattles under her break are nearly non-existent. That is how it should be for bearded females. My roosters have bigger wattles-- but not by much. They are not visible through their beards at all. I have a cockerel I showed and his wattles are a bit on the red side-- even though his comb is perfectly dark mulberry-- NO red. The judge told me that his red wattles were undesirable-- and even at that, they really aren't too red. This judge went thru every bird like that-- pulling back feathers to see hidden faults. I'm not sure if the red color you are seeing is bad genetics and undesirable or because they are maturing-- this would be a good one for Sonoran since she has dealt with more birds than I have. I never noticed any color change, but that might not say a whole lot! LOL Their skin and combs should stay dark.

Just a quick question. Can bearded and non bearded be bred together? What will you get if there is an accidental breeding?

I've no idea! Knowing I am personally breeding to try to better my birds and to show, I would never do that. I have a particular goal for my birds, and that seems counter productive.

I would imagine if it were done, you might get a mix of non and bearded. I wonder if that would weaken both genes in those birds though for those traits.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I use really thin zips and can clip them off with nail clippers. The thing is to get them off while there is still a little room so that you can get both sides of the clippers around them.

X2!