Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[cmarcornejo]

Wow! Mine hatched on July 17 and they STILL haven't laid!

Do you only have hens? Our Black Australorp hatched May 1 and even in November wasn't laying eggs, but not even two days after we got a rooster she started!

 

[ChloeSilkie08]

Do you only have hens? Our Black Australorp hatched May 1 and even in November wasn't laying eggs, but not even two days after we got a rooster she started!

I have 2 roos with them.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Good morning fellow silkie fans!
Any of you sell silkie hatching eggs? I was thinking of doing this, local only.
I just set 16 eggs yesterday in my incubator, hoping for a great fertility and hatch rate.
If all goes well, plan to offer hatching eggs in the future. What is a fair price? I was thinking somewhere between $25-$30 per dozen.
My silkies are perfect in my mind, but I am biased, being their "mom". I am not breeding for color or specific traits, just for fun. They are definitely better quality than the average hatchery stock though.

 

[ChloeSilkie08]

Good morning fellow silkie fans!
Any of you sell silkie hatching eggs? I was thinking of doing this, local only.
I just set 16 eggs yesterday in my incubator, hoping for a great fertility and hatch rate.
If all goes well, plan to offer hatching eggs in the future. What is a fair price? I was thinking somewhere between $25-$30 per dozen.
My silkies are perfect in my mind, but I am biased, being their "mom". I am not breeding for color or specific traits, just for fun. They are definitely better quality than the average hatchery stock though.

I've seen silkie eggs go for $60. I don't know what the market is in Hawaii but I think you could charge more.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I've seen silkie eggs go for $60. I don't know what the market is in Hawaii but I think you could charge more.

Thanks! Everything in Hawaii is expensive, but I live in a very rural area, I think my market is limited. I would love to get $60 a dozen, I paid more than that for the hatching eggs I hatched my birds from (Alabama silkies). I am charging $15 each for chicks, same price as another breeder with similar quality birds on the other side of the island.

 

[ChloeSilkie08]

Thanks! Everything in Hawaii is expensive, but I live in a very rural area, I think my market is limited. I would love to get $60 a dozen, I paid more than that for the hatching eggs I hatched my birds from (Alabama silkies). I am charging $15 each for chicks, same price as another breeder with similar quality birds on the other side of the island.

Wow! I would go with your gut then!

 

[PioneerChicks]

Alright, so this is my breeding flock this year, and I am hoping to get some idea of the color I'll get from these guys. I'm breeding for shape, so color doesn't really matter, but I'd like to know anyways if possible.

There are five total. Please excuse their messy crests, it's been wet recently!

View attachment 2487548
The rooster. I think he's a black/buff mix, but I didn't hatch him myself so I'm not sure. He has buff-orange leakage on his neck and breast.


View attachment 2487549
Hen #1
Pure blue, as far as I know.


View attachment 2487551
Hen #2
Buff, but she has a few black/blue feathers in her plumage. Maybe a recessive gene?


View attachment 2487555
Hen #3
Blue/buff mix. Has buff leakage on neck.


View attachment 2487557
Hen #4
Sorry this is a poor picture of her. Her parents were blue and buff, but she is a black/buff mix.


So, what do ya think I'll get? Not sure if you'll be able to tell, but it's worth a try.

@LynnaePB and @MysteryChicken mind if I tag you to this quoted post?

 

[MysteryChicken]

The rooster in question is a Birchen Split for partridge like my sister's Silkie Rooster Dottles.

Hen number #3 is like the rooster, but blue.

Hen #4. Is Blue Partridge.

 

[LynnaePB]

@LynnaePB and @MysteryChicken mind if I tag you to this quoted post?

I'm glad MysteryChicken answered because I am not very knowledgeable about some of those colors!

As for what you might get when breeding I'm probably not going to be able to guess very well but I can try anyway!

I'm guessing the blue hen with your rooster will produce blue and black chicks with possible leakage.

Hen #2 does look buff to me, I think it's pretty common for buffs to get a bit of "smut" which is the darker feathers especially common in the tail/wings. She'll likely have black chicks with lots of leakage or maybe even something similar to partridge if your rooster is carrying partridge. If she actually turns out to be blue based she'd likely give you blue or blue partridge chicks as well as the black.

Hen #3 will probably give you blue and black offspring possibly with leakage as well as possibly some partridge and blue partridge offspring if your rooster is carrying partridge.

Hen #4 will probably have similar results to #3 but won't have blue based chicks if she actually is black and not a darker blue.

Sorry I wasn't more help.....I'm looking forward to hearing what hatches, it'll be nice to learn what offspring those kind of crosses create!

 

[PioneerChicks]

The rooster in question is a Birchen Split for partridge like my sister's Silkie Rooster Dottles. View attachment 2505637 View attachment 2505638 Hen number #3 is like the rooster, but blue.

Hen #4. Is Blue Partridge. View attachment 2505641

I'm glad MysteryChicken answered because I am not very knowledgeable about some of those colors!

As for what you might get when breeding I'm probably not going to be able to guess very well but I can try anyway!

I'm guessing the blue hen with your rooster will produce blue and black chicks with possible leakage.

Hen #2 does look buff to me, I think it's pretty common for buffs to get a bit of "smut" which is the darker feathers especially common in the tail/wings. She'll likely have black chicks with lots of leakage or maybe even something similar to partridge if your rooster is carrying partridge. If she actually turns out to be blue based she'd likely give you blue or blue partridge chicks as well as the black.

Hen #3 will probably give you blue and black offspring possibly with leakage as well as possibly some partridge and blue partridge offspring if your rooster is carrying partridge.

Hen #4 will probably have similar results to #3 but won't have blue based chicks if she actually is black and not a darker blue.

Sorry I wasn't more help.....I'm looking forward to hearing what hatches, it'll be nice to learn what offspring those kind of crosses create!

Thank you both so much! I plan to set eggs hopefully today and I am glad to know what to expect!