The Middle Tennessee Thread

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Cool. Thanks, Lori.

Cinny,

Silkies are hard to sex until they are older. The boys will eventually develop streamers, longer feathers that stream out from the back of their heads. Boys are more vertical, while girls seem just rounder all over. Of course, if you can get one to crow or lay an egg that helps too.

 

[cocochanel]

Looking for a buff or splash female silkie. I live in greenbrier, tn, just outside of Nashville. Any information will be greatly appreciated!!! Evidently they are very hard to come by. Already checked with silkietime, and she has none for sale. PLEASE HELP. Thanks a bunch cocochanel.

 

[dixieland]

Hi Cinny-
Check out this link......
http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article.html
There are tons of articles pertinent to Silkies on here including one on sexing that is basically saying the same thing as Anne. This website is Alan Stanford's.. He is one of our great breeders and an amazing resource for knowledge..... I have spent a lot of time talking with several longtime breeders, the synopsis is--- Silkies are probably the hardest breed to sex.. Luckily, we have an option to do DNA feather sexing on our young prospects for less then $20 per bird. Results are 99.8% accurate and the company out of Florida that we have dealt with has been super quick with turn around.
http://www.dnasexing.com/
Hope this helps some!!!

Jes

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Hey, Dixieland! Congrats on the wins. That is AWESOME!!

 

[emmalynn]

Jes- I agree w/ Anne congrats on the wins and the ribbons are lovely.....but where are the winning bird pictures!!! I would love to see your fluffy butts.

I am going to AL tomorrow to pick up my new Sebastopol gander. I love playing hookey from work for poultry related reasons.

 

[dixieland]

Thank you ladies!!!!

I have been learning from all of you for the past 4 years or so....So it's a win for all of us!

When I get pictures, I will put them up!!!

 

[Cinny]

Thanks for the link Jes...I'll check it out.....a friend of mine who grew up on a chicken farm said her parents determined sex by holding the chick upside down by it's feet....if it had a strong neck and could pull itself back upright it was a male. I cannot do that to these precious little babies, so I'll have to wait and hope that at least one of them is a female and that I can find a home for the male should that be the case.

 

[emmalynn]

WOW. I had to go to the 2nd page to find us. What have you guys been doing that has kept you away from BYC?

I went yesterday and picked up my Sebastopol gander. Drove about 1 hour south of Birmingham to get him. He is from Holderreads originally and I feel really lucky to have him. Lordy it was a long day after working yesterday. Of course I didn't come home with just one bird. We have 2 additional Sebbie babies and 3 East Indies ducklings.
I will be taking pictures when I get home and will have to torture you guys with waterfowl cuteness later.

 

[Raven1]

Yes I keep thinking I hear crickets

HELLO...HELLO....Hello....hello...
I have been hatching, hatching, hatching, so cleaning, feeding, petting

I will be making some choices on keeper soon so if anyone is looking for a little less than SOP Marans roos and hens let me know. I will also have a few Exchequer roos that will be looking for new digs too. One of those is my fav. guy, so friendly (I thought he was a she)
I always have hatching eggs for sale too from all my breeds!

 

[emmalynn]

Becky,
As no one has chimed in yet. In everyone's defense...We have had some beautiful weekends and I have been outside as much as possible. I am of course supposed to be working while I type this. I keep looking out at the view of the city and the weather is beautiful, clouds are fluffy, etc, etc....there is so much I had rather do at home. Whom ever gets to be a stay at home ___, I envy you.
I so love the Exchequer coloration of the leghorn. Don't need another breed but that is one that I considered. Very striking.
Call ducks and Wellies in the bator. The guineas from our hen all hatched and are spasmodic every time you pass the brooder box. Silly guineas. Nic is sending the other call ducks and I have some coral blue guineas coming from a friend. Is anyone interested in a few keets? I may have more than I wanted.
We did get a new baby goat on Saturday as well. She is a little Boer baby- 5 mos and follows DH all over the place. Of course the herd is like the flock, beat up the new kid until the pecking order is figured out. She is smarter than the other goats obviously, as she has chosen to be best friends with the LGD puppy, Tao. He won't put up with any stepping out of order so she is not being pushed around.
Looking forward to seeing you on May 12th to pick up the pea.

Where are you guys???
Who is going to trade days in the boro on 5/12??