South Carolina

[RedBugPoultry]

OK, lets have some fun with my silkie pen. These pics are of a batch of silkies I hatched from some eggs I traded for this spring. I am at the point where I am not sure I got much of a deal--what to you think?
This is the black roo I got from the eggs and the only one that did not have a single or "triple" comb. Should I bother keeping him? Not much feathering down the middle toes but good, well divided 5 toes.

This is my "columbian" silkie roo. His comb has a ridge of points up the middle and on both sides. A person on the silkie site called them horns?? Keeper? He has a very nice crest started and was the only one hatched in the batch with a vaulted skull although several hens have nice crests they were not hatched with vaulted skulls--does this make since???

This little partridge I think is beautiful in color but has a very large, well defined single comb. Plus, not very good feathering on feet.

This was a different hatching from some eggs I got off ebay. I threw him in just for conversation--my cuckoo roo and a very sweet boy!

Please give me some feedback if you can make anything from the pictures. This is how we learn! I am think of getting rid of all but the cuckoo for the time being but wondered if the little black roo had any redeeming qualities???

 

[SC-ChickMom]

Quote:
What breed are you considering?

One of each:

EE
Cuckoo Maran
Barred Plymouth
Salmon Faverolle
Wyandotte
Red Star
Polish
Silkie

I wanted a mix of egg colors in the basket. DH wanted 6 total but the silkie and polish had to be on the list (his request), so I convinced him of a total of 8. What do you think? Good mix?

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Quote:
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

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Quote:
What breed are you considering?

One of each:

EE
Cuckoo Maran
Barred Plymouth
Salmon Faverolle
Wyandotte
Red Star
Polish
Silkie

I wanted a mix of egg colors in the basket. DH wanted 6 total but the silkie and polish had to be on the list (his request), so I convinced him of a total of 8. What do you think? Good mix?

Nice variety. The silkie and polish may need to be kept separate if the others are all standard sized. With the crests, they may get picked on

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Quote:
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!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

What is the deal with folks trying to candle eggs so early?
I just got another email from someone that has had the eggs in incubation 5 days and is really bummed because there is no growth and they had to throw them out.

.
I swear, if I threw out every egg that showed nothing before 10 days for me I would be down a lot of chicks.

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Quote:
I have been on the incubation thread and a lot are doing it at 4-7 days. I am like noooooooooooo don't do it til day 10 if you have to!

I know that when I tried to teach myself about candling, if I was going to throw it out, I cracked it open. Unfortunately I could see little dark spot that was a developing chick in a couple of eggs.

Never throw anything out until day 18.

I am considering sending a guide on incubation with eggs...........No candling til day 18 for chicken eggs. Day 10 if you are that curious. Days 1-18 open the bator daily to check for bad smells.

 

[emptynester]

Quote:
Wow- that is amazing! Earlier this week when you mentioned this I had to wonder
1) Where are people getting their information on candling?
2) How do they know their candling skills are adequate?
3) if it takes 35 minutes to bake a batch of brownies, you wouldn't toss it after 5 minutes would you?!!

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

I can now see veins early. Has taken me forever to learn that BUT sometimes in just starting eggs, there is a big thick vein that resembles a blood ring.

Too easy to make a mistake and lose chicks. Better to just wait.

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Quote:
Wow- that is amazing! Earlier this week when you mentioned this I had to wonder
1) Where are people getting their information on candling?
2) How do they know their candling skills are adequate?
3) if it takes 35 minutes to bake a batch of brownies, you wouldn't toss it after 5 minutes would you?!!

To answer #1 : From others on BYC....well meaning people, with good intentions I think, but also clueless to incubation most times.