Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[LadiesAndJane]

Sorry I didn't get your post earlier! It sounds like you've got things covered though! The hole on top is important for the reason you mentioned and it's always nice to see the beak too.

I kind of go overboard with the safety holes at times. I've added them as early as 4 hours or so after internal pip to maybe 15 or so hours after internal pip. I've lost chicks around the 17th hour mark before so I never wait the 24 hours you are supposed to.

Even adding them very early I haven't had a problem with shrink wrap because of safety holes (once I add them I try to keep my humidity 65-75% which seems to work well). Probably a good percent of the eggs I give safety holes to didn't need them but it doesn't seem to hurt them and it's saved lots of malpositioned chicks so I likely won't stop anytime soon. I have lost only a few shipped egg babies that had safety holes after internal pip but I'm fairly certain it wasn't because of those safety holes being there (they weren't shrink wrapped and had no obvious cause of death).

I'm so happy to hear Eko managed an internal pip! Praying everything goes smoothly from here for her (or him)!

Thanks! No worries.
Yes, I think making the safety holes does not hurt either. So far Eko is still doing the beak clicking thing here around 10 hours since I made the holes. I made the whole at the zip line just a little bigger and s(he) looks to be paint or white. I see some yellow down anyway!
Still chirping away!
I think this little chick is the most anticipated one I have ever had!

 

[LynnaePB]

Thanks! No worries.
Yes, I think making the safety holes does not hurt either. So far Eko is still doing the beak clicking thing here around 10 hours since I made the holes. I made the whole at the zip line just a little bigger and s(he) looks to be paint or white. I see some yellow down anyway!
Still chirping away!
I think this little chick is the most anticipated one I have ever had!

Aww that is wonderful news!

I hope little Eko finishes up and comes out for you soon! I can't wait to see her/him!

My EHAL hatch just finished a moment ago (my little guys usually come a little early). I'll have to post some pictures tomorrow.

I've also got two more eggs going into lockdown tomorrow that don't count for the EHAL and another 4 that are on day 14 today. Taking a little break after that but I'm so happy to be hatching again!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Aww that is wonderful news!

I hope little Eko finishes up and comes out for you soon! I can't wait to see her/him!

My EHAL hatch just finished a moment ago (my little guys usually come a little early). I'll have to post some pictures tomorrow.

I've also got two more eggs going into lockdown tomorrow that don't count for the EHAL and another 4 that are on day 14 today. Taking a little break after that but I'm so happy to be hatching again!

Exciting! Can't wait to see photos, these are your mixed colors this time, not paints, right?
My other shipped egg from the replacement batch did end up being a blood ring. Not doing shipped eggs again for awhile anyway!
Out in the living room, sleeping on the couch next to the incubator. Next eggs from Zelda again, are not due to hatch until the end of the month, so will be nice to sleep in my own bed!

 

[LynnaePB]

Exciting! Can't wait to see photos, these are your mixed colors this time, not paints, right?
My other shipped egg from the replacement batch did end up being a blood ring. Not doing shipped eggs again for awhile anyway!
Out in the living room, sleeping on the couch next to the incubator. Next eggs from Zelda again, are not due to hatch until the end of the month, so will be nice to sleep in my own bed!

Yeah these chicks are from a couple mixed color pairs (I miss the cute little spotted paint chicks but it is fun hatching some new colors). I'll post the parents when I post pictures since it's kind of fun to see what produces what.

I'm so sorry to hear your other little shipped egg didn't make it!

I hope you manage to get some decent sleep even being on the couch! I'm looking forward to sleeping tonight now everyone is out (hatching is wonderful but kind of exhausting when you are really hands on)! I'll be heading to bed just as soon as my latest little one fluffs up a bit more and is mobile enough to do well in the brooder without supervision.

 

[thanai]

Congratulations!!!

I still get excited when I get a new silkie layer! Some of my grow outs from last fall recently started up, lots of them seem to be starting around 6 months old.

Thank you! Congrats on the new layers

 

[LynnaePB]

Here are some pictures of the 5 little silkie chicks hatched the other day.

The three circled in red are from this red pyle project pair (sorry old pictures I've probably posted before). I think dad is silver based and from how the partridge chicks are hatching so far it's seeming more likely.

The other two little yellow chicks are from the pair below. I'm trying to figure out more about the moms genetics. She is from a paint breeding but I'm not so sure she is dominant white.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Here are some pictures of the 5 little silkie chicks hatched the other day.

View attachment 2608830

View attachment 2608831

The three circled in red are from this red pyle project pair (sorry old pictures I've probably posted before). I think dad is silver based and from how the partridge chicks are hatching so far it's seeming more likely.

View attachment 2608834View attachment 2608835

The other two little yellow chicks are from the pair below. I'm trying to figure out more about the moms genetics. She is from a paint breeding but I'm not so sure she is dominant white.

View attachment 2608836View attachment 2608837

Congratulations on your hatch!
Your birds are so gorgeous! They all look like show birds!
Do the partridge chicks from this pairing feather out more of a light silver Partridge? Or is this the first time you’ve made this cross? I like the way they look as chicks anyway! Did the chicks that hatched from your other pairing give you any more information on the genetics of your hen? Wouldn’t you have to breed her to a black rooster and if you got paint chicks from that wouldn’t that prove that she was dominant white?
Sorry for all the questions I’m just super curious about the genetics!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

So Eko is definitely a paint!

Hatched on her own around midnight. Few photos attached with her little brooder buddy bear in the background! Trying to find a few chicks to keep her company but I think she may have to wait until the little red bantam cochin pullet chicks show up around the 21st.
Has a lot of black flecks on her back as well as on her legs. Excited to see how she feathers out. Since paint silkies are not available here and I am not doing shipped eggs anytime soon, would be best to find a good black silkie for her to pair with? Am I correct about that?
Course hoping she’s a she, I’m sending the eggshell out on Monday for DNA testing. Doesn’t matter either way, she’s a keeper after the financial and emotional investment involved.

 

[Chick_Maelle]

Here are my silkies! Peaches is the white hen, Persimmon is the cuckoo boy (who recently passed away) and I have a black rooster named Fumiko but no pictures of him.

 

[PioneerChicks]

8 silkie eggs in the incubator due to hatch on Monday! I made tiny holes in the top (or is it considered the bottom?) of all the eggs because I'm sick of healthy eggs not hatching.