Silkie thread!

[TheRookie]

Both of those look like girls

Just this one or #1 and #2?

 

[3ChickensinNC]

Also anyone interested in a mix of Buff (porcelain possible but doubt if he is actually breeding yet, hes trying but not having luck that I have seen), Paint and BBS eggs? I will have 18+ to ship out monday. I tested fertility and set a mix of 30 eggs myself and have 28 developing and going into LD in a couple days, lost 1 the first week and 1 clear, most are under broodies. I can't post an add until I get my old act opened again so thought I would see if anyone was interested here first? pm me for info at this act.
buff pullet
buff cockeral, normally fuller tail but he is moulting right now,,,,,

I love this picture!

I will have to take some of my paint pen only ones I could find were from spring when they were pretty young ......

Where are you located?

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Dry incubation only refers to the first 18 days.
10% is way too low. Do you have a hydrometer, or is it your incubator telling you it is 10%? My incubator is always off by at least 10% in terms of humidity.
You can't have too much humidity after day 18. If the humidity is low, they will become shrink wrapped and suffocate.

No i don't have a separate hydrometer besides the one on the incubator. I know 10% is way too low, that is why I am constantly adding water to keep it at least at 25% during the first 18 days. I just don't know if i's ok to keep the humidity between 40 and 25%? I also don't have the vent plug (lost it) but I read i should leave it open for 18 days and once it's on lockdown add a tape.
When i check the weathercast for today, i see the exterior humidity is at 48% and the temperature as right now is 95F. My incubator is my office, where is the coolest room.
I really want to get a good hatch rate doing the right thing and i know it always depend where you live, but it's so hard to find information. Thanks
By the way here are some pictures of my silkie's coop. The lay out is a bit odd because it's one coop divided for in one side my BBS, and the other one my soon to be whites. We haven't finish the right side, but we are getting there lol. last weekend we added a roost because they were roosting on the lip of the door. They love it!!! I always thought silkies didn't like to roost or use ladder, but mine do.

 

[CALI CHICK]

I worked with them last night and all went up the ramp except one of the new ones! I used meal worms & oatmeal and it seemed to work pretty well. I also made a "lid" for my run so now I can access all the girls no matter where they are. Made things much easier. I think after a few more nights they will be pro's before I know it! Thanks so much for feedback & your coop is great! I can't wait until spring time again here in PA so I can build a bigger coop. I have become a crazy chicken lady in a matter of 3 months

Love them!

Another question for everyone...does anyone take your chickens in your home at any time? I was thinking about in the winter time letting mine camp out in the basement/family room area of our house because I want to still be able to work with them in the winter months so they stay friendly??!!

Most of my hatched chicks get to live in the house for at least 4 weeks in a container/brooder (until my husband complains about the dust and smell).
Also, we bring our 2 cockerels in the house every day.........at 6:30 am!

This way they get most of their crowing done without disturbing the neighbors. I would not do this for any chicken -Just my silkies! I'm really hoping to get some babies from my own little flock of BBS. Only Mysty Blue (my Avatar) is laying and these two boys haven't figured out how to mate yet. Bless their hearts, they're trying! (LOL) When I bring them back to the silkie pen, around 9:30am, Mysty Blue marches right up to them and gives them each a few pecks to let them know who is in charge! When they try to mount her, she turns around and pecks them? Maybe they act different when I'm not around, but so far her eggs aren't fertile.

Here are my 2 boys in "Rooster Prison"! I'm praying we'll be able to move to the country so these guys can live a normal life!

 

[chickendales]

Most of my hatched chicks get to live in the house for at least 4 weeks in a container/brooder (until my husband complains about the dust and smell).
Also, we bring our 2 cockerels in the house every day.........at 6:30 am!

This way they get most of their crowing done without disturbing the neighbors. I would not do this for any chicken -Just my silkies! I'm really hoping to get some babies from my own little flock of BBS. Only Mysty Blue (my Avatar) is laying and these two boys haven't figured out how to mate yet. Bless their hearts, they're trying! (LOL) When I bring them back to the silkie pen, around 9:30am, Mysty Blue marches right up to them and gives them each a few pecks to let them know who is in charge! When they try to mount her, she turns around and pecks them? Maybe they act different when I'm not around, but so far her eggs aren't fertile.

Here are my 2 boys in "Rooster Prison"! I'm praying we'll be able to move to the country so these guys can live a normal life!

have you tried AI ing them they might not be very dominant yet

 

[CALI CHICK]

No i don't have a separate hydrometer besides the one on the incubator. I know 10% is way too low, that is why I am constantly adding water to keep it at least at 25% during the first 18 days. I just don't know if i's ok to keep the humidity between 40 and 25%? I also don't have the vent plug (lost it) but I read i should leave it open for 18 days and once it's on lockdown add a tape.
When i check the weathercast for today, i see the exterior humidity is at 48% and the temperature as right now is 95F. My incubator is my office, where is the coolest room.
I really want to get a good hatch rate doing the right thing and i know it always depend where you live, but it's so hard to find information. Thanks
By the way here are some pictures of my silkie's coop. The lay out is a bit odd because it's one coop divided for in one side my BBS, and the other one my soon to be whites. We haven't finish the right side, but we are getting there lol. last weekend we added a roost because they were roosting on the lip of the door. They love it!!! I always thought silkies didn't like to roost or use ladder, but mine do.

Are you incubating right now? (I am

) I noticed that you are also in CA. Our humidity is always low outside and the dry incubation method didn't work here. I can't get over how steady this hatch is going for me as far as temps and humidity. I am actually calm and didn't even join a hatch-a-long thread for once!

Praise to my Hova Bator! It is holding right at 40% until the tray begins to evaporate. I add more water and it holds for another 3 days. I think I'm finally comprehending what they mean by "surface area" of the water effecting humidity. I researched tons of posts during my first couple of hatches and realize that different percentages will work better or worse depending on location. I also realized that the incubator reacts differently depending where it is in my own house. For me, I keep it at 40% for Days1-18. Then, I add surface water so the humidity goes up...between 65-75%. I would highly recommed buying a hygrometer at the store..........I just paid $10 at Wal-Mart and then used the salt method to check its accuracy.
Good luck with incubating. By the way, I put 30 silkie eggs in last Tuesday and 10 more in on Monday. Of the first group, 13 were infertile, but 17 are developing. It's too soon to know about the second group.

 

[CALI CHICK]

have you tried AI ing them they might not be very dominant yet

Yes, they are younger by a couple of months so Mysty Blue (though much smaller) thinks she's boss.

What does AI stand for? Forgive my ignorance.

 

[CALI CHICK]

Yes, they are younger by a couple of months so Mysty Blue (though much smaller) thinks she's boss.

What does AI stand for? Forgive my ignorance.

OK, I'm answering my own question. It stands for Artificial Insemination. And, I even found a link that shows it done. Here it is if anyone is interested
.

She makes it look so easy, but I'm not sure I could do it.

 

[peepblessed]

Chickenstock is this weekend and I need to know whos a boy and whos a girl so I can sell the correct birds for the correct $$$




Blue Silkie # 1
5 months old yesterday
acts boyish, looks kinda boyish, confirm/deny my theory?

My boys are more evident by this age. I would lean toward girl.

 

[peepblessed]

She turned at the last second but 'she' consistently has the proper S-shape

You cant tell here but 'she' has a tiny bit of red in the wattle. Acts girly, looks girly... confirm/ deny?

Looks girly.