Texas

[hungnguyen]

In my country, the Silky meat was known for medicine purpose. This black meat bird was slow cooked and we can eat everything. We were told that this is the best food for pregnanted woman and woman who just delivered babies.

 

[Brookshire11]

You don't want to pluck them--their skin should be quite black and is off-putting. I skinned them, which takes just a couple of minutes.

The breast meat was greyish and there was a very thin black black layer wherever the flesh touched the black bones. I just cut up the meat into small pieces and put it in a curry. They were very nice eating chickens.

My Silkies produce a lot of eggs. I'm really surprised at how reliable they are. They are just 11 months old, but I haven't put them on lights or anything. Their eggs are about 5% of their body weight, so they give me a 38/40 gram egg. They produce far more eggs and larger eggs to their body weight than my Ameraucanas or Polish. They are a really nice, sweet bird. Mine are just pet quality hatchery Silkies.

You're really making a case.....

The only problem is I read they don't do well in mixed flocks? Although ALL of the breeds I have are supposed to be pushovers..lol My BR and BO are the ring leaders.
Also the silkie chicks are younger...you can't just put a week old chick in with 4 week olds can you?
I've seen articles about integrating chicks with hens..but never chicks with other chicks...

 

[jajeanpierre]

You're really making a case.....

The only problem is I read they don't do well in mixed flocks? Although ALL of the breeds I have are supposed to be pushovers..lol My BR and BO are the ring leaders.
Also the silkie chicks are younger...you can't just put a week old chick in with 4 week olds can you?
I've seen articles about integrating chicks with hens..but never chicks with other chicks...

I don't know about integrating day-olds with older birds, but Silkies are just fine with other birds. I would not get a chick with a vaulted skull. You can see a vaulted skull in day olds--it looks like their brain case had had a string tied around the middle, so their is a great big bulb on top of their head. It is really obvious when you look at other chicks. Only some Silkies have vaulted skulls--they got it when they crossed with Polish to get bigger top knots.

My little Silkies are very brave. When the macaws went to ground among them, it was the Silkies that tried to chase them off. They were frightened, but they still made little rushes at the macaws and actually frightened my big Scarlet macaw off the ground into a tree. My big Ameraucana cockerel was in a tizzy, frightened by the macaw. My neighbor has them free ranging with her flock.

You have to be a bit careful of them in the rain, especially when babies, because their feathers don't repel the rain. My Silkies were outside yesterday in the freezing drizzle that lasted most of the day. They were the last to go to bed.

I really like them as a backyard breed. Their feathered feet mean they aren't as hard on the ground as a smooth legged breed. They don't fly, either, although they do hop about three feet in the air, flapping like crazy.

I want to exhibit poultry, and they are not the kind of breed I want to exhibit. The show Silkies have such huge top knots they can't see, and I just think breeding for such a handicap is just plain wrong. I'll instead concentrate on an equally sweet bird, bantam Cochins.

When I had my "little" chicken flock (Silkies, Polish, Cochins and one bantam Plymouth Rock) separated from the "big" chickens (LF Ameraucanas), the Silkies were in love with the Ameraucana cockerels. One of the Ameraucana cockerels kept hopping the fence into the "little" chicken's yard. I finally left him in. The Silkies loved him.

They produce a lot of eggs for me. I don't know for how long. Even when broody, they lay eggs. I just pick them up, put them out of the nest box near food and water and just ignore their broodiness. I need to set up more nest boxes, because they are keeping them occupied too long.

The other thing about Silkies, is they tend to like to sleep in a pile rather than roost. Some of mine roost, but others don't. I really like them. They are just such a sweet little bird.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I would not get a chick with a vaulted skull. You can see a vaulted skull in day olds--it looks like their brain case had had a string tied around the middle, so their is a great big bulb on top of their head. It is really obvious when you look at other chicks. Only some Silkies have vaulted skulls--they got it when they crossed with Polish to get bigger top knots.

Here's a link to a picture of vaulted skulls on Silkie chicks:

http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8010959

Here's a picture of vaulted skulls. You can see there are holes in the top of the skull. I just think breeding for this is just wrong on so many levels. This is the normal for Polish. They are more susceptible to head injuries from pecking of course.

 

[Brookshire11]

Here's a link to a picture of vaulted skulls on Silkie chicks:

http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8010959

Here's a picture of vaulted skulls. You can see there are holes in the top of the skull. I just think breeding for this is just wrong on so many levels. This is the normal for Polish. They are more susceptible to head injuries from pecking of course.

This is great info!!! Really helpful, thank you!

 

[LightningTFarm]

As it has warmed up this morning it has been raining chunks of ice out of the trees, very pretty. Here's a picture of my hose holder with icicles hanging from it. The automatic door on the duck house was frozen shut with a sheet of ice this morning, so I had to go let them out of the people door, and only got the automatic door open later when the ice melted a little (with some help from me).

 

[vincentd73]

Hi I am from the big town of Tyler.

 

[vincentd73]

What's the best breed for east Texas egg laying? Who can I buy from that is reliable to buy chickens Around Tyler? Is shipping safe without the shot?

 

[Brookshire11]

In my country, the Silky meat was known for medicine purpose. This black meat bird was slow cooked and we can eat everything. We were told that this is the best food for pregnanted woman and woman who just delivered babies.

I've heard that! I didn't know about chickens at the time though. I'm just a big food nerd. I'd love to visit over there!

Hi I am from the big town of Tyler.

Welcome from McKinney!

 

[Brookshire11]

What's the best breed for east Texas egg laying? Who can I buy from that is reliable to buy chickens Around Tyler? Is shipping safe without the shot?

I can't vouch for breeds, but there's a big variety on this board. I only have my first set of chicks: Easter Eggers, Buff Orpingtons and a Barred Rock.
I can say, if you're going to have them shipped, try Ideal Poultry. They're in Texas, so most get their shipments the next day, which is way easier on the chicks.
I ordered mine from Meyer, and ended up with over half of my chicks lost because of a snow storm that delayed the post. Meyer was nice, but Ohio was just too far for the weather.