Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[Hinotori]

hope she recovers. try if she will eat boiled egg on her own. if/when she does it means she is getting better.

She gets special stuff. She has put some much needed weight back on since the first time. She does eat if I put fresh food in the bowls. Actually pecks away the younger birds. I pulled her out of house and put her in front of it and she was eating some before I even had her fully on ground.

I think with the wind and it being just a miserable day, she didn't want to be out of the house. Runs are tarped but a little wind can get in at doors. She's just too skinny to not be eating enough that I watch her.

 

[chickengr]

She gets special stuff. She has put some much needed weight back on since the first time. She does eat if I put fresh food in the bowls. Actually pecks away the younger birds. I pulled her out of house and put her in front of it and she was eating some before I even had her fully on ground.

I think with the wind and it being just a miserable day, she didn't want to be out of the house. Runs are tarped but a little wind can get in at doors. She's just too skinny to not be eating enough that I watch her.

if she eats on her own she'll be fine. when I have sick chickens I do a boiled egg test.

 

[Hinotori]

if she eats on her own she'll be fine. when I have sick chickens I do a boiled egg test.

I usually scramble, but same difference. I tend to tube them now if they are off their food. Usually a night digesting the warm food perks them up and that's all that's needed.

I just get so amused at her trying to gobble that tube. She knows what it is and wants it

 

[CSolis]

I usually scramble, but same difference. I tend to tube them now if they are off their food. Usually a night digesting the warm food perks them up and that's all that's needed.

I just get so amused at her trying to gobble that tube. She knows what it is and wants it

Your a good chicken momma, Hinotori

 

[NagemTX]

The Halloween/November silkie hatch!

Not sure I'm representing all eight here. There are four light colored ones and four darker buff and gray ones. They do all look different. I'm currently getting used to bifocal lenses so my judgment might be off.

Also note to self don't put them on something with out a corral. None are hurt but like three went base jumping.

 

[CSolis]

OK, I have a question before I start culling. I have a young cockerel that is outstanding in every way, except he's got 4 toes on each foot. I have an older boy who's also the same color but has a smaller 'hat' but has 5 toes. Which would you keep?
I had one of my regular customers come for pullets, and ended up taking a partridge boy with more white than red because he has a nicer crest. I'm leaning towards the young one with 4 toes. I'll try and get pics of him tomorrow.. He's red partridge with a red crest from heaven.. it has blue undertones, so to speak.
Now, I have some young black pullets, one has red in the neck feathers.. Do I put them with my Blue partridge roo, to try and get back to black partridge. Meanwhile I have some red partridge gals I will put with one of the red roos. I think that's how ya do it.

 

[Hinotori]

OK, I have a question before I start culling. I have a young cockerel that is outstanding in every way, except he's got 4 toes on each foot. I have an older boy who's also the same color but has a smaller 'hat' but has 5 toes. Which would you keep?
I had one of my regular customers come for pullets, and ended up taking a partridge boy with more white than red because he has a nicer crest. I'm leaning towards the young one with 4 toes. I'll try and get pics of him tomorrow.. He's red partridge with a red crest from heaven.. it has blue undertones, so to speak.
Now, I have some young black pullets, one has red in the neck feathers.. Do I put them with my Blue partridge roo, to try and get back to black partridge. Meanwhile I have some red partridge gals I will put with one of the red roos. I think that's how ya do it.

4 toes passes on.

Smaller crest doesn't necessarily mean they will have small crested offspring. If you have the means, I'd test breed to get an idea of offspring



I had a hen with the smallest crest produce chicks with mega crests. She definitely wasn't show quality but her grandkids were. The chicks from her didn't have the best color for show but had good conformation and all produced great chicks with the laid back, friendly temperament of the original hen. Most of my birds have her in their ancestry because I wanted the friendliness

 

[CSolis]

4 toes passes on.

Smaller crest doesn't necessarily mean they will have small crested offspring. If you have the means, I'd test breed to get an idea of offspring



I had a hen with the smallest crest produce chicks with mega crests. She definitely wasn't show quality but her grandkids were. The chicks from her didn't have the best color for show but had good conformation and all produced great chicks with the laid back, friendly temperament of the original hen. Most of my birds have her in their ancestry because I wanted the friendliness

So the offspring from polydactyl vs non polydactyl might be 50/50? And I've had smaller crested female have chicks with big floofy tops too.

 

[Hinotori]

So the offspring from polydactyl vs non polydactyl might be 50/50? And I've had smaller crested female have chicks with big floofy tops too.

Yes. You're very likely to have non-polydactyl chicks.

I tried a 4x5 bird one year and half the offspring had the same issue, which I didn't think would happen because he did have the polydactyl gene. Leven also passed on this 6 toes on one foot to half his offspring and that was when bred to 4 toed breeds.

 

[CSolis]

Yes. You're very likely to have non-polydactyl chicks.

I tried a 4x5 bird one year and half the offspring had the same issue, which I didn't think would happen because he did have the polydactyl gene. Leven also passed on this 6 toes on one foot to half his offspring and that was when bred to 4 toed breeds.

Well here are my two choices in Red males with red heads.. Note: it's the young one with 4 toes, but great in every other aspect. One year old

vs 4-5 month old.