Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

Trying to get a head-count on silkie lovers...

  • ME! - I like silkies!

    Votes: 826 96.2%
  • ^

    Votes: 98 11.4%

  • Total voters
    859
Well if it worked for you hopefully it will work for me! :fl It's pouring with rain today so not ideal weather for a chicken date walking together in the grass, so I'll have to set the scene another day :)
:hitI just tried 2 pullets in with cockerel but realised they were broody! Noooo!! So now I have 3 broodies and no fertile eggs!!! Cockerel did jump on a pullet though so maybe she'll give me a fertile egg! She's still been laying in the breaker cage and I thought she was broken but nope! Back in the cage for her and setting up another cage now for other.. Or does the puff up thing happen if they don't want to be mated? -not just when broody?
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:hitI just tried 2 pullets in with cockerel but realised they were broody! Noooo!! So now I have 3 broodies and no fertile eggs!!! Cockerel did jump on a pullet though so maybe she'll give me a fertile egg! She's still been laying in the breaker cage and I thought she was broken but nope! Back in the cage for her and setting up another cage now for other.. Or does the puff up thing happen if they don't want to be mated? -not just when broody?
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I think the puff up like that is a broody trying to protect her eggs, but I'm not sure. Good luck!
 
:hitI just tried 2 pullets in with cockerel but realised they were broody! Noooo!! So now I have 3 broodies and no fertile eggs!!! Cockerel did jump on a pullet though so maybe she'll give me a fertile egg! She's still been laying in the breaker cage and I thought she was broken but nope! Back in the cage for her and setting up another cage now for other.. Or does the puff up thing happen if they don't want to be mated? -not just when broody?
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I gave my black pullet a go in the cockerel coop and he hunted her down and jumped on, so if she lays an egg tomorrow it could be fertile I'm guessing. Is it likely that offspring will be black sort-of colour if mated with black pullet? I have 2 grey/black looking chicks (now 5 weeks old) so I'm guessing they are from her eggs.
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oh nice! I recently purchased eggs from a seller to CA who has been doing that for years. Whispering oaks I think it was called. But I was definitely disappointed that the eggs colors they were hatching from were so pale (colored). That they almost just looked creme. Of course after she did the cross she kept breeding back to Silkie to get more of the Silkie look (not smooth feathers) back. The birds ended up looking like pet silkies and haven’t laid yet. Interesting project.
I know mypetchicken also sells a “silkies Easter Egger”. I wonder what the bird actually grows up to look like and what color they lay. I was thinking of trying it small scale on my own. Good luck with your project!
I have the silkie easter egger from mypetchicken and I absolutely love her. She doesn't lay a colored egg but since she has the genes I might see if her chicks would lay a colored egg.
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This may sound crazy, because I LOVE Silkies, BUT, why don’t you look into getting some Houdans? They’re large fowl and have a heavy crest too and their personality is amazing. So friends. I’m not going to lie. Silkies were my favorite. But my Houdans are giving them a run...Also remember heavily crested breeds are picked off by predators a lot easier than others who are able to see easier. Also Silkies can not fly so they are just sitting ducks and can not get away. Here’s the Houdans. Took this pic today. (Oh and a Polish snuck in haha)View attachment 2453958
Gorgeous birds! And the polish are also something I’m interested in. Great Christmas photo! I’ll read more re houdans. Thanks!🐾
 
I gave my black pullet a go in the cockerel coop and he hunted her down and jumped on, so if she lays an egg tomorrow it could be fertile I'm guessing. Is it likely that offspring will be black sort-of colour if mated with black pullet? I have 2 grey/black looking chicks (now 5 weeks old) so I'm guessing they are from her eggs.
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I don't know much on genes but I think white is dominant? But it is the female that is white and I think males affect the look of the chicks more...

Basically I was no help there :p

I can't wait to see how the chicks turn out!
 
I don't know much on genes but I think white is dominant? But it is the female that is white and I think males affect the look of the chicks more...

Basically I was no help there :p

I can't wait to see how the chicks turn out!
White can be dominant or recessive and recessive white typically have "hidden" colors like partridge or something. Dominant whites bred to black will result in a paint. @Silkielee
 

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