South Carolina

[NellaBean]

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Wow! I am going to have my eyes checked! I could have swore he was black! That is the first blue Mottled roo I have known to produce here. It does linger in my lines, I know but I seldom want any. I have that one girl growing up but she is definitely blue.

Now you have a roo to put with your blue Mottled girl!

Yep! And even crossed over my black girls I would get some blues!

He did look black....its only now that he is feathering out and filling out more that it is becoming obvious. His shiny saddle/sickle feathers are so dark its hard to tell....but his fluff on his legs butt and belly are obviously a blue gray and not a black. He has really started to round out in the last couple weeks....I have high hopes!

 

[RedBugPoultry]

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honestly? It is up to you if you wish to keep them........depends on what you want to do with them too.

.................
Going by the pictures ..... Just from the instances of single combs I would say you have silkie crosses.


#1 - that roo......I think he is blue - that is closest color I see.....His "underfluff" is too light to be black. He is not bearded. Tail is not really fluffy, wings are not held up tight to body either. Comb and wattles are too red by picture. They should be a dark purplish red (mulberry) - if his other hatch mates did not have the walnut comb, he may carry a gene for the single (did you say triple on some?) comb. Which is not something you want to breed with. He would be pet quality - honestly he looks to be hatchery stock.

#2 - if you want to work with this color, you can also work to breed the horns out of the comb. It could take awhile though. Yes about the vaults makes sense, to me. Again I have noticed hatchery stock does not always have vaults.

#3 - partridge - fairly nice coloring - I don't have these so can only go by others I have seen- chest should be black, ideally,,,however it is hard to get a black chest on a partridge. Single comb -again, not good. For showing, back is too long, I think, and cushion is lacking also.

#4 - cute fella!

Basically if it were me - all would go unless I wanted to work on them. But I am ruthless when it comes to my silkies. If they don't work in my breeding pens, they go - if I have too many, I breed from one then switch him out for another and give the first one away.... unless one happens to be a big pet then it goes in with my layers

Ruthless!! But exactly what I wanted to hear and pretty much what I thought but was hoping I was wrong!

The black is actully darker than the pic and has a pretty dark mulberry comb but I do not really like the body type. I was just wondering if there was anything I was missing. The big problem is no one wants roos for pets.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

So, what determines a good spot to set up a permanent pen...big enough for all the stretch their legs? We have several good "potential" spots, but, as I am not sure what to look for, any suggestions will be duly noted!! Right now, the 7are just in partially completed have chicken tractors. We have one top almost finished, and one top partially started. We will be working more on them this weekend. We hope.

 

[emptynester]

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For me, I already had a 8 X 8 building in the back corner of the yard under trees that provide lots of shade. Another plus was that building already had electricity and water as well as a place to store feed and supplies. If I had to carry water, feed and pine shavings a long way every day, I don't think I would enjoy it nearly as much.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Kimberly, you have been doing it quite a while so you know how hard it is for a newbie to see everything. And she did email me back saying she loves to see the veins so she starts candling at 3 days. Wow! That is some good eyesight!
I am with you, I think I need to print up incubation sheets to send out with hatching eggs. Geez!

Yeah! If it takes 35 minutes for brownies.....you got brownies??? Yum, I'm coming to your house. (See the whole ADD thing there?)
Seriously, you make good points. I really do not know if it is BYC or other friends telling them to candle so early. And I applaud them for looking and learning. However, I only have emailed a seller after I am darn tootin' sure I had given them time to develop. Not a mere 5 days.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Wow! I am going to have my eyes checked! I could have swore he was black! That is the first blue Mottled roo I have known to produce here. It does linger in my lines, I know but I seldom want any. I have that one girl growing up but she is definitely blue.

Now you have a roo to put with your blue Mottled girl!

Yep! And even crossed over my black girls I would get some blues!

He did look black....its only now that he is feathering out and filling out more that it is becoming obvious. His shiny saddle/sickle feathers are so dark its hard to tell....but his fluff on his legs butt and belly are obviously a blue gray and not a black. He has really started to round out in the last couple weeks....I have high hopes!

Oh wow! I am excited to see some clear photos of him!! I so hope he will be as nice, if not better, than the girls!

I had 2 more Cowboy babies to run out of the coop this morning. No telling how old they are since I forgot to check in there the past few days. There are chicks and ducklings running everywhere and I am not keeping up with them. Just letting them be nature babies unless I see someone that needs help.
I found a chick stuck between a building and a board the other day and had to rescue it. It was crying but no mama hen anywhere around so into the brooder it went. I try to keep my eyes and ears peeled for that while letting the mamas take care of them, if possible.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Have you seen my website? I put a pen where ever one will fit!

Actually, for me I look for wind breaks from the north, a slope for rain drainage and hopefully a tree for shade to the west or south.
You can plant big deciduous bushes to the south or west or both once you have it built and put evergreen bushes to the north for the wind break. In the winter when you need that weak sun to come through for some warmth or a bit of enjoyment then the leaves will be off the bushes.

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

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Kimberly, you have been doing it quite a while so you know how hard it is for a newbie to see everything. And she did email me back saying she loves to see the veins so she starts candling at 3 days. Wow! That is some good eyesight!
I am with you, I think I need to print up incubation sheets to send out with hatching eggs. Geez!

Yeah! If it takes 35 minutes for brownies.....you got brownies??? Yum, I'm coming to your house. (See the whole ADD thing there?)
Seriously, you make good points. I really do not know if it is BYC or other friends telling them to candle so early. And I applaud them for looking and learning. However, I only have emailed a seller after I am darn tootin' sure I had given them time to develop. Not a mere 5 days.

I candle with Nicole right beside me. She has terrific eyesight so if I think I see a blood ring & it is really a vein, she will spot it

She is also great at helping chicks hatch when one needs it. She does it much better than I do...... I lack patience.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Kimberly! I love your siggie now! OMG!

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

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