Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[Chickeria]

So cute

 

[TJAnonymous]

No, this is the risk with shipped eggs.
I have had great hatch rates with shipped eggs and even some where none hatched. Hopefully I will have enough birds now not to need to bring in any more new ones. Hope the others fair better. Little one is out now and looks to be blue. Likely going to keep it either way, but sending the eggshell out for DNA gender testing so I do not need to wonder at least. Definitely not worth it to sell it! View attachment 2547727

Sending the eggshell out for DNA gender testing? You can do that? Never heard of it

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Sending the eggshell out for DNA gender testing? You can do that? Never heard of it

Yes, there are several companies that do it. I use IQBirdTesting in Florida. You can send eggshells, blood (from a clipped nail) or feathers in. Most often used with silkies as they are so hard to gender ID as you know until quite late.
With eggshells, you have to remove the shell right away and let it dry out. It is the membrane part that the DNA is taken from. If you have several birds hatching at once, it can be difficult to keep them straight and avoid contaminating each others samples. Very important to have clean hands when handling the egg shells.
I have not tried blood, but I have tried feather samples on older chicks.
I have experienced 100% accuracy with this company. Results are of course dependent on how good of a sample they receive.
It is useful if you must know the gender of a bird before it is otherwise evident. Or if you just want to know!

 

[TJAnonymous]

Yes, there are several companies that do it. I use IQBirdTesting in Florida. You can send eggshells, blood (from a clipped nail) or feathers in. Most often used with silkies as they are so hard to gender ID as you know until quite late.
With eggshells, you have to remove the shell right away and let it dry out. It is the membrane part that the DNA is taken from. If you have several birds hatching at once, it can be difficult to keep them straight and avoid contaminating each others samples. Very important to have clean hands when handling the egg shells.
I have not tried blood, but I have tried feather samples on older chicks.
I have experienced 100% accuracy with this company. Results are of course dependent on how good of a sample they receive.
It is useful if you must know the gender of a bird before it is otherwise evident. Or if you just want to know!

I looked them up. $12/test. Assuming that is for 1 bird... I'm about to hatch out 11 of them. Don't think DH would be happy if I spent that much money to DNA sex all of these Silkies. I want to keep about 4-8 pullets but from what I've read, you pretty much can't sex Silkies until they either lay or crow. That wouldn't be a big deal except that I agreed to sell extras to my horse trainer and I'd be upset if I sold her all hens and I ended up with all roosters....

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I looked them up. $12/test. Assuming that is for 1 bird... I'm about to hatch out 11 of them. Don't think DH would be happy if I spent that much money to DNA sex all of these Silkies. I want to keep about 4-8 pullets but from what I've read, you pretty much can't sex Silkies until they either lay or crow. That wouldn't be a big deal except that I agreed to sell extras to my horse trainer and I'd be upset if I sold her all hens and I ended up with all roosters....

Yes it is expensive! Worth it if you only have a few. Would be a shame to sell all your girls though! Some breeders sell sexed pullets at a young age, the price usually reflects testing a whole hatch, so that is why these birds often cost $40 or more to guarantee a female. I only do it with birds I plan on keeping. I have been lucky so far. The 2 olive egger/silkie crosses that I kept from December were both tested as female.
The extra silkie boys I ended up with last year went to a friend who wanted them.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

So here is the one little cutie all fluffed up. So tiny compared to the 10 day olds! She is on her own for a few days, so she has a stuffed animal friend to keep her company.

Here are the 10 day olds hanging out with us yesterday. I’ll wait a few days to put them all together.

 

[HawaiiCoyote]

So here is the one little cutie all fluffed up. So tiny compared to the 10 day olds! She is on her own for a few days, so she has a stuffed animal friend to keep her company.View attachment 2549174

Here are the 10 day olds hanging out with us yesterday. I’ll wait a few days to put them all together.View attachment 2549176

So CUTE

 

[Chickeria]

They are all gorgeous The bigger ones already getting those little tails
So glad your little one hatched successfully She is soooo cute!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

So CUTE

They are all gorgeous The bigger ones already getting those little tails
So glad your little one hatched successfully She is soooo cute!

Thanks! They are all so sweet. The little one looks like she is blue, lots of yellow down too, so will be fun to see how she feathers out.

 

[Chickeria]

Please post updates of their developments (with pictures )!