Silkie thread!

[moomoodiddy]

quick q picked up one of my white hens and noticed a couple of black spots!!!! what will happen if i bred her to a white rooster??

 

[dwegg]

You would have probably lost those two!!! I wonder how long they had been like that? Do they seem to be acting OK? Thank goodness you were there at the right time!!!! 

Well I was there while it happened and got nervous when the chicks started screeching under her but not coming out...when she got up as I was trying to find them she was carrying them around with her by their necks...but thank goodness I was there and cut them out straight away...

It freaked me out! I am lucky she is a gentle hen and pretty clam so she didn't run around and get flustered...

 

[peepblessed]

Wow those are some beautiful Silkies. How do you'll get such nice pictures? Mine always are moving !!. I have a rooster that is part black, tan, with white tip wings and an iridescent tail feathers ( like my Mallards). He is an odd color but beautiful.

I take at least two dozen to get one decent one.

I thought I would post some pictures of my chicks that are 5 1/2 weeks old now. Hope you don't mind. I'm not asking for which looks like a boy or a girl but I have to say that there seems to be some larger bumpy combs on some of these babies. Only time will tell...

LAVENDER



BUFF



PARTRIDGE



B/S




BLACK



PORCELAIN



Wish I could have got a better full body picture of the Lavender but it was squawking like stuck pig and wouldn't hold still long enough.

Very nice babies!

Sweet! It looks a little pink to me for a silkie egg, but I'm no expert. All my silkie eggs and all the silkie eggs I've hatched are a creamy white color. Others will surely chime in however!

It could be your bantam EE's. They can lay a pink egg. The LF pullets when the first start laying lay smaller eggs than they will over time also.

Exciting though!
Congratulations!

Color is normal but for a first egg it looks big to me.... I picked up a first egg today and a quarter would cover the whole middle.

Well I was there while it happened and got nervous when the chicks started screeching under her but not coming out...when she got up as I was trying to find them she was carrying them around with her by their necks...but thank goodness I was there and cut them out straight away...
It freaked me out! I am lucky she is a gentle hen and pretty clam so she didn't run around and get flustered...

So glad you were there! I have heard of this being deadly....

 

[CGinJCMO]

Quote: To further elaborate this, with a white you have no way of knowing what colour or pattern genes the white is hiding. White is an OFF switch that prevents the colour/pattern genes that are present in the bird from showing. EVERY white can be different, so there is no way to predict what the white parent will bring to the mix.

You know with a splash parent that the offspring WILL carry the blue gene, and with a blue parent, they have a 50% chance of carrying it. You just do not know what that particular white parent will add.
At this time, we aren't wanting breeding/show quality colors (but that can (probably) change); we do like "funky" colors.

I thought White was the result of recessive genes. Remembering my high school genetics, to have the recessive characteristic show, you can't have any dominant genes. Granted this is with just two allels determining phenotype (I think I have that right phenotype/genotype - after all I feel like I'm doing great just to remember the correct words). Perhaps, chicken colors involve a little more than simple genetics.

CG

 

[cindersga]

Hey everyone....Prince Charming is going to be a dad! Nawwww
Beautiful ROO!

I agree! Even the Porcelain one has a big comb for the age. I'm guessing at least those two are boys. My 20+ week old boy is still not that developed in comb yet.
I know...I didn't want to ask but, it was just out there in your face, BIG.


Quote:

Congrats on your new flock of beauties!

Quote:

OM goodness how horrifying. I was freaked out when I saw my momma's with their chicks all over them and then they just started flinging themselves around in the dirt with no regard to the chicks. I can't imagine what you saw and what you must have been feeling at that time. It's weird with her being broody and sitting on eggs that she had any feathers still under there. Glad you were there to rescue them.

Quote:
Originally Posted by peepblessed

Very nice babies!
Thank you so much Peepblessed!

 

[KMHunter]

Ok...craziest thing just happened...I was in the garage watching momma and her babies when she decided to 'dust bath' in the shavings...well I saw that she still had two chicks under her but thought they would run out when she started but they didn't...

So after a little I lifted her up to scoop them out and they were fully tangled up under her...caught by both their heads!!! I couldnt untangle them so I raced inside to get the scissors and I had to cut them out from under her...

That was crazy...what if I hadn't been there?

You know, this is the second time I have heard a story like this! I think I will trim some feathers on the broody when/if I get one and hatch some eggs under her. I was looking forward to having a broody do all the work, but you all are scaring me!

 

[cindersga]

You know, this is the second time I have heard a story like this! I think I will trim some feathers on the broody when/if I get one and hatch some eggs under her. I was looking forward to having a broody do all the work, but you all are scaring me!

Oh girl don't be scared but...I think we all just need to maybe watch more carefully and not think the broody only thinks of her babies welfare, ha!

So cool having a broody hatch eggs. You don't really get to watch the hatch like in a bator but it's still fun to hear little chirping coming from under your hen and gently lifting her chest up so you can take a peek.Blessings.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Once you have passed ownership to another, it really is theirs to do with as they choose. If one does not like that then LOAN the birds. I have seen too many deals with strings attached cause people on both sides a lot of grief.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Do you all add any extra vitamins or supplements to your silkies feed to help with egg production? The lady I got my new girls from had all kinds of stuff she just gave me but I don't know what it is or of I should use it or how much to give them. Looking for any help or advise you all might have.

Sudden diet changes tend to be stressful. Keep to what she was using, and while you research the supplements/vitamins, you can gradually reduce if you feel they are detrimental or unnecessary.

In general supplements and vitamins are for overall health and condition, not simply egg production. Most folks who have silkies are not overly concerned about eggs (other than having enough to hatch, lol!)

 

[KMHunter]

Quote: I am really excited to let some hatch chicks for me. That is what started this whole silkie thing in the first place! I just wanted a couple of broodies! Now I am knee deep in this breeding thing and by next spring I should be neck deep. Lol! I love them! Hopefully someday I will be breeding some of my own show quality silkies!