They can be. I run my incubator nearly dry-- very low humidity and then spike up to 75% or higher during lockdown and hatch. I love his funky hairdo! He is cute! I love it when they come out nice and round and so fat/fluffy.I've had a hell of a time hatching silkies for some reason. This time I finally got a few. Here is a pic. The guy in the back is having a bad hair day. Still a little stiff from hatching.
I also have a rooster that thinks he's a duck. I caught pictures of him mating his muscovy hen last night. Poor Carlton.. He HATES crowing. He tries to hold it off, and it looks like he's about to throw up.. and then.. he crows.. Very pathetic crow too.
- Hopefully they aren't half duck though 
Yesterday.... Saw the cutest thing and had to share with someone who might get a kick out of it....
I peeked out the window on my way to "release the beasts" for the day, and noticed in the duck pen some morning dabbling in the water dish. (I have two muscovies that share the pen with a silkie chick.) No big deal right? They do this every morning before I let them out for the day... But the silkie was dabbling with them! So cute! He would dip his beak, swish, stand up and repeat. Not drinking (dip, tip beak up and swallow), but dabbling!
When I got my first muscovy duckling, (I didn't know about adopting 2 ducklings at a time!) I picked up a couple week old silkie chick at the same time. We called them "the chucks." I could never really tell if they would act more like chickens or ducks as they grew up. I introduced another muscovy to them a few weeks ago (who was a little younger than them) and have had no problems at all. They are their own little flock and still mix and mingle with the other chickens with no problems. The only thing the chicken doesn't do so far is swim in the pool with/like the ducks. They are so fun to watch!!
Stacey
I don't know for sure on the silkies, but every other breed I own, first crow is followed by first mating almost immediately.Just wanted to mention that Sonoran Silkies was correct in predicting that BB is a cockerel.BB gave us his first crow this morning!
BB doesn't have any apparent streamers (@ almost 6 mos old) and doesn't chest bump with the younger splash cockerels???
I REALLY need to get some girls for my BBS breeding pen. It is poor Mysty Blue with 3 roosters!!!!!!! At least they aren't old enough to breed yet.
By the way, how long after the first crow (and first egg) do silkies begin mating?
And, here is the man, himself! Perhaps we should change his name from BB to something stronger....like BULLET!
What a great boy though!! My boy started trying to breed at around 8 months but didn't crow till 10 mths that I heard. I've had them breed at 4 months so they are all different. Bullet sound good.Just wanted to mention that Sonoran Silkies was correct in predicting that BB is a cockerel.BB gave us his first crow this morning!
BB doesn't have any apparent streamers (@ almost 6 mos old) and doesn't chest bump with the younger splash cockerels???
I REALLY need to get some girls for my BBS breeding pen. It is poor Mysty Blue with 3 roosters!!!!!!! At least they aren't old enough to breed yet.
By the way, how long after the first crow (and first egg) do silkies begin mating?
And, here is the man, himself! Perhaps we should change his name from BB to something stronger....like BULLET!
I also use shelf liner and have had a couple splayed legs...so discouraging...I had a couple with splayed leg and put the "band-aids" on for about 3 days. It's strange that mine got it because I was using shelf liner. Did I miss pictures of your babies, Tilosi?hint-hint
How sweet! I want some duckies!Yesterday.... Saw the cutest thing and had to share with someone who might get a kick out of it....
I peeked out the window on my way to "release the beasts" for the day, and noticed in the duck pen some morning dabbling in the water dish. (I have two muscovies that share the pen with a silkie chick.) No big deal right? They do this every morning before I let them out for the day... But the silkie was dabbling with them! So cute! He would dip his beak, swish, stand up and repeat. Not drinking (dip, tip beak up and swallow), but dabbling!
When I got my first muscovy duckling, (I didn't know about adopting 2 ducklings at a time!) I picked up a couple week old silkie chick at the same time. We called them "the chucks." I could never really tell if they would act more like chickens or ducks as they grew up. I introduced another muscovy to them a few weeks ago (who was a little younger than them) and have had no problems at all. They are their own little flock and still mix and mingle with the other chickens with no problems. The only thing the chicken doesn't do so far is swim in the pool with/like the ducks. They are so fun to watch!!
Stacey
Poor Misty Blue...."Bullet" would be fitting for a BB that grew upJust wanted to mention that Sonoran Silkies was correct in predicting that BB is a cockerel.BB gave us his first crow this morning!
BB doesn't have any apparent streamers (@ almost 6 mos old) and doesn't chest bump with the younger splash cockerels???
I REALLY need to get some girls for my BBS breeding pen. It is poor Mysty Blue with 3 roosters!!!!!!! At least they aren't old enough to breed yet.
By the way, how long after the first crow (and first egg) do silkies begin mating?
And, here is the man, himself! Perhaps we should change his name from BB to something stronger....like BULLET!
It's such a neat thing to watch them come to life!
This chickie is LOUD. Squawking away in the hatcher. My kids want to take it out, but it's too early.
Kids insist it has a poofy head. I can't see in there well enough.
Yea, I made my little Willow/by a homemade hobble...but, I'm not quite sure it's splayed leg. S/he doesn't seem to want to put weight on it and holds its toes up.I had a couple with splayed leg and put the "band-aids" on for about 3 days. It's strange that mine got it because I was using shelf liner. Did I miss pictures of your babies, Tilosi?hint-hint
You must be right....I got these babies, and they were kept in a building with hard floors. Their toenails are pretty bad...so, I may think about a run without the floor. And, they like digging and I can't see that being as fulfilling on a floor. I will just have to bury the hardware cloth.
Yay!! Congrats!!Mine too!!
