Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[JacinLarkwell]

Has anyone had a silkie with 1 super long back their? One of my chicks has one and it looks like the second toe just grew where the nail should have

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Has anyone had a silkie with 1 super long back their? One of my chicks has one and it looks like the second toe just grew where the nail should have

Can you get a photo?

 

[chickengr]

Actually, it’s recommended not to breed vaulted to vaulted. There does seem to be some kind of association between vaulted skull and female gender, though it is not real clear what the genetics are behind this and of course you can get a vaulted skull chick that ends up being male.
I am actually trying to breed away from the vaulted skull due to the risk of head injury and some difficulty hatching. My birds still have nice crests despite being non vaulted. I would say about a fourth of my chicks hatch with vaulted skulls even if both parents are non-vaulted.

Here is a thread from a couple years back with some debate about it. Apparently the chicks with too large of a vault can have trouble rotating in the shell. I’ve had this happen with a few of mine. I was able to save some because I was right there when I saw them rotate after externally pipping, but lost a few that were unable to rotate because of the large vault.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/19168055

when I hatched 8 chicks, only 1 was non vaulted. 4 girls, 4 boys. the first one that peeped externally didn't make it. it happened at night when I was sleeping so I assisted 7 others. 1 didn't need help. maybe non vaulted, I am not sure.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Just stopping in to say hello ☺

I've been super productive, have a few more days of intensive work. Apologies for the missed 25 pages... flipped through some pics and omggg i love chickens

Well, little Bambina has been broody.. she does come down for food and water (because shes a piggy) but i wish she'd stop already, the girls already target her, and sitting immobile is making it worse (ok girls being ELSA GRUMPY BUTT). As everyone has aged, it's just more obvious how teenie she is. Thankfully Betty is still her little friend.

Hopefully things cool off soon, evenings finally dropped 10 degrees, but these former house chickens have had enough of the heat. I'll make some modifications in time for next summer so they can cope better.

Man we have MISSED you!!! Where you been stranger?!?
We need some updated pics of those babies!

10 weeks old today Sept 27. He's starting to darken up some.

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July 20. About 12 hours old. Non-vaulted skull. That's just fluff. Yes, he looks white but I have some mutation in my partridge chicks and some hatch out pale with back stripes. Usually they are male, but not always.

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Aug 15

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Very nice coloring! He was a floofy baby!

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Luv me some chipmunks!!!

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

So question..I lost track of the eggs when they hatched last go around so I'm unsure if Bambi is a black from splash or paint...is there any way to know other than breeding her to see what pops out?!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Can you get a photo?

I tried this morning, little girl wasn't cooperating though so ill try again tonight

Man we have MISSED you!!! Where you been stranger?!?
We need some updated pics of those babies!

Very nice coloring! He was a floofy baby!

Luv me some chipmunks!!!

Bottom is male, top should be female. Love the difference being so noticeable right away. Wasn't that bold with the parents as chicks

 

[Buckingham Palace]

I have just been offered a blue silkie hen for free. Sooo tempting.

 

[Buckingham Palace]

I have a ather rooster

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I have just been offered a blue silkie hen for free. Sooo tempting.

Take her

 

[LadiesAndJane]

So question..I lost track of the eggs when they hatched last go around so I'm unsure if Bambi is a black from splash or paint...is there any way to know other than breeding her to see what pops out?!

It will not matter. There is no difference genetically between black birds produced from paint or from a BBS pen. Paint is not “carried” like other colors. A bird is either paint or it isn’t. The chicks that hatch out paint have inherited the dominant white. The chicks that hatch out black have not. You can use a black bird from a BBS pen in a paint breeding program and you can use a black bird from paint breeding in a BBS pen.
I had this very same question when I started breeding paints.