Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[chickengr]

a friend's broody hatched 2 of my silkies!

 

[CSolis]

a friend's broody hatched 2 of my silkies!

 

[chickengr]

another silkie hatched so 3 new babies plus 7 I already hatched!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

another silkie hatched so 3 new babies plus 7 I already hatched!

Yay!!! Your new flock has arrived!

 

[I Like Turkeys]

hello Today I was surprise gifted some silkie chicks, and I’m not sure what to do.

they’re cute, but I- in a very similar situation of just randomly being gifted them- attempted to raise two silkies over a year ago, and both died prematurely, so I’m worried about these ones.

i have them on heat for the night, and the summer should be warm enough in the day that they’ll be okay, but I’m worried about their vigor, and how best to raise them. They aren’t very active right now, though that may be because of fear or shock, and I’m worried they’ll be hard to handle.. Not to mock the breed. I’d appreciate any input on how to keep them healthy.

Another also; two of my chicks are vaulted. Is this something to breed away from in silkies?

 

[CSolis]

Hello @I Like Turkeys ..I haven't found silkies to be any harder to raise than other breeds. I've had some issues with weak chicks but that was coming off the winter months when my flocks get extra grains to keep body heat and fat going. You should be good to go..

I know some breeders would rather have a natural head fluff without the vaulted skull. I have half and half on my pure breds. I'm working toward the natural fluff as well as other breeders as much as I can, but there are some that love the vaulted skull.

On the other hand, I actually got a calico splash satin from my F1 Bantam Buff Orpington and a splash rooster.. I have another with similar coloring, but it's more speckled than smooth splash. Look close and you can see some buff feathers on her back

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Hello @I Like Turkeys ..I haven't found silkies to be any harder to raise than other breeds. I've had some issues with weak chicks but that was coming off the winter months when my flocks get extra grains to keep body heat and fat going. You should be good to go..

I know some breeders would rather have a natural head fluff without the vaulted skull. I have half and half on my pure breds. I'm working toward the natural fluff as well as other breeders as much as I can, but there are some that love the vaulted skull.

On the other hand, I actually got a calico splash satin from my F1 Bantam Buff Orpington and a splash rooster.. I have another with similar coloring, but it's more speckled than smooth splash. Look close and you can see some buff feathers on her backView attachment 3504395

I don't like the vaulted skulls, if it means less fluff I don't care. I didn't actually check my boys though but I don't think they have it.
Do you have many calico splashes? I am actually planning to breed myself some, it's a beautiful colour

 

[CSolis]

I don't like the vaulted skulls, if it means less fluff I don't care. I didn't actually check my boys though but I don't think they have it.
Do you have many calico splashes? I am actually planning to breed myself some, it's a beautiful colour

I have a rooster that is a calico splash, he's pure silkie. This gal came from the BBO and one of his sons who was a splash. It's a project I'm working on. Shadow Captain and Poof Poof (Blue/Black) have never had a calico offspring. The BBO F1 came as a result of crossing a BBO to my silver partridge rooster. So, now, if my BO will cooperate and give me some eggs from KE, I can hatch them and get more BBO's to work with.
I'm wondering if......... this one ends up female, by putting her with my Calico Splash Rooster (her grandfather), if I can cement the calico part.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

I have a rooster that is a calico splash, he's pure silkie. This gal came from the BBO and one of his sons who was a splash. It's a project I'm working on. Shadow Captain and Poof Poof (Blue/Black) have never had a calico offspring. The BBO F1 came as a result of crossing a BBO to my silver partridge rooster. So, now, if my BO will cooperate and give me some eggs from KE, I can hatch them and get more BBO's to work with.
I'm wondering if......... this one ends up female, by putting her with my Calico Splash Rooster (her grandfather), if I can cement the calico part.

What's your understanding of the calico splash genetics? From what I've been able to gather it's something like a partridge splash (which is easiest to achieve if you use blue partridge)?

 

[CSolis]

What's your understanding of the calico splash genetics? From what I've been able to gather it's something like a partridge splash (which is easiest to achieve if you use blue partridge)?

Edit: Sorry I didn't answer your question on genetics of Calico Splash.. I haven't studied it, but I assume (as assumptions go) that you have to get some buff integrated in the splash somehow, and my route was using a F1 BBO with the partridge gene. I'm not sure how partridge is connected to splash. It is entirely possible I was doing the right thing and not knowing it.

This chick's mom was a result of putting some BBO's in with my Silver Partridge Silkie. (I really lucked out as he was given to me). Her mom has a bit of a fancy hat, but not much,and blue ears. I sold the rooster she was originally bred to since I already had another splash rooster, and he was a son of my Calico Splash and Poof Poof. I will certainly get another when Poof Poof goes back to laying (she's currently raising some chicks she hatched three weeks ago. I also have a red on cream F2 I plan on putting with a Blue son of the calico splash. That would maybe create a second line for me.

Photo is of the mother of this chick.. Note the blue ears and the pattern in her feathers?

The hen behind her is her full aunt.
Here's the cream/buff F2. She just keeps getting more beautiful with age. This chick is the result of a Splash roo and a partridge bantam daughter of a red Cochin hen.

And finally Lil Boy Blue a son of the calico splash.