What's wrong with their feathers?

[Silkie-Feet]

it seems everyone has one but me!

why cant i find someone to ship me some of these eggs?

so i can have some

 

[alicefelldown]

Because NO ONE has any eggs to ship? I know there's a lot of pages, but currently only ONE person has these of laying age and they are really hard to hatch - not to mention it's pretty late in the season and fertility tends to drop.

Give it another 2-3 months till everyone who got eggs in Feb/Mar has laying birds. We'll be sharing these (I know I will!) but again, NO ONE currently has birds of laying age other than Julie (and her list is LONG).

 

[Silkie-Feet]

ok, i may sound like a dufus but here it goes. i just got 3 new silkies and i was reading non-stop every night

and i have read that many breeders of silkies will "trimm" around the vent( idk if thats what u call it) so the fluffy feathers dont get in the way of breeding. if people did this with these birds could that increase fertilatiy? just wondering and wanting to be helpful.

 

[alicefelldown]

The problems with hatch viability seem more 'inbreeding' related than inability to copulate. Julie had a pair - brother and sister. She had a hard time mating those as the male was extremely aggressive and the hen stopped laying for months on end. She was able to hatch a few chicks from that, so son was mated to mom and sister. Those eggs were sent out to a few people, and even fewer hatched (like, 1-3 chicks per every 12 eggs low). Those chicks are now about 5-6 months old, so we should be seeing eggs and chicks from matings with smooth feather birds in the next 2-3 months.

 

[Redcatcher]

The eggs that I received from Julie had 100% fertility and that was during the heat wave when the birds were stressed. From my experience, it is not a fertility issue. Almost all of the silkied Americauna eggs made to the 21st day. One chick was dead in the shell and was perfect in every way. I had planned to assist it. Before I went to bed I checked it and there was too much blood and decided to wait until morning. By then it was dead. It was a big very healthy looking chick. The membrane was not tough at all (though Julie told me that was a problem with some of the other eggs). I was baffled. The one chick that I did assist, died mysteriously on the 3rd day. I had no problem with the F1s.

Edit: typos

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Has there been any thought about the lethal gene that plagues Araucanas? Theoretically these all have the same ancestors, and while they are inbred, they seem to develop until the moment of hatch. It seems like if there were severe genetic problems, development would not go for so long. Just an idea.

 

[HeritageHens]

For the record, I did read all 70 pages (and I feel sorry for the folks who don't find this thread for 6 more months, there will be twice that many to get through!)

That would be me!!

This has been more captivating reading than a trashy romantic novel!

I found this thread last night about 9:30, went to bed at 1am, and got up at 8am to start reading again. The laundry isn't done, the dishes aren't washed, and we just finished breakfast. But at least I'm up to date on the story.

I have no idea why this was so captivating because I have no desire or ability to do any breeding but this has been an amazing read. Alice, your knowledge of genetics is amazing. Kathy, you really set the stage for the future of this line and for others to follow in your footsteps. And Julie, you are an incredible woman, apparently generous to a fault - well, that goes for all of you involved in this project. My hat goes off to all of you. Thank you for sharing this story!​

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

I know I will be punished for not posting photos with this, but it's pouring out, and dark. Tomorrow I'll snap some pics, I promise.

As you may have read, Kathyinmo is focusing on some heritage breeds now, and decided to part with her silkied project birds. Well, I was to receive 2 F1's today, along with a Black Copper Marans cockerel that I have Olive Egger plans with. Kathy let me know that the box had shipped last night, and that there might just be a surprise in the box....

Delivery was guaranteed by noon today, so I sat by the door from 8am on. Around 11 the postal truck pulled up. And the driver came to the door empty handed to tell me that I needed to go to the post office. The box had gotten wet, and the bottom fell out. The chickens had escaped into the post office, but had been captured.

Mind you, I live in the MIDDLE of Philadelphia. Live poultry shipments aren't exactly normal. I don't even have a car, so even getting to the post office is a pain. Plus I had no idea what my surprise in the box was, so I didn't even know what kind of crate to bring along. Was it a turkey? A cat?

Well much to my surprise she sent me one of her gorgeous Silkied Ameraucana pullets. I have a silkied cockerel who won't be able to live with me for ever, as LF crowing just won't work downtown. I have friends in the country that are helping me with my breeding projects by housing the roos.

Another outlaw chicken friend happened to be home, so he drove me to the P.O. Needless to say the Postal workers weren't happy, but for the price paid for express shipping, I don't care what they thought. 2 were still in the soggy box, and the CUTE little F1's were under one of those plastic mail bins. I got them safely home to their holding pen, and it started to rain, and hasn't stopped all day. I've hardly gotten to see them yet, but they're here, safe and sound.

SO, assuming at least one of the F1's is a pullet I'll be able to share some chicks next spring. I may try to cross the two silkied birds as well, just to try to get a few more birds out there, but their fertility should be any better than their parents.

I will get some photos of them tomorrow, if they're not too muddy.

I thought I'd have to wait another year or more until I have silkied chicks, but it looks like even this spring I might have some!

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
That is a great story!! ROTFL @ chickens on the loose in the post office! Oh yes, we definitely need pics!!!

ETA: BTW u lucky duck on the silkied score!

 

[NoMoreBoys4MommaHen]

Polish and Ameraucana? I am looking at some of the characteristics. They are all over the place...but man, what awesome looking birds!