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Mine have been through zero to minus 3 F with no problems. I do not light or heat their coops. They just need a draft free and DRY shelter with lots of thick bedding, I use straw, and they will pile up together on the floor. They also lived through the extreme drought and heat here this past...

Sorry for your loss! Always seems to be the best ones that get it too. That said, it is hawk migration time, so they are out in force bulking up for their flights. I have been plagued for the last week or so with a flock, yes a flock of six, of Cooper's Hawks. They all hang out in the trees...

All of my roos are much friendlier to chicks than the hens! My White roo "Mr. Boss" tends to his babies like a mama. When they were littler, and got scared or cold, they would all run to him and stand between his legs, and he would fan out his wings to cover them. So cute! I really love the...

What kind of bedding are you using, newspaper by any chance? If it is a slippery surface like newspaper, they can't get a stable footing, and can end up with spraddle leg. Kind of odd for it to just come on now though, he is a bit older than those that usually get it. Does he act sick at all...

I just sold a nice pair of juvie Partridges for $50.00, and 6 more younger ones for $100.00. People out here said, "FOR CHICKENS???" I think, they think I'm telling them a whopper!

Wow! I give my pets away! $30.00 is what I charge for breeder quality hens. Of course, if you live in CA, everything is more expensive, I know, I used to live there. Here in the sticks, not so much...

Thanks for posting that link! Sounds like what I need around here. I've been out of horses for many years now, so I had never heard of this. Wonder if Orscheln's sells it?? The DE I spread in the coop and runs must be working somewhat, at least. This morning, the fly population is down by quite...

Can you tell us, or at least me, what PBZ is?? Thanks! We have had an outbreak of flies here in Biblical proportions this year! I dusted the coop and runs with DE, and the flies are all dancing in it! Didn't help that the neighbor brought up about 30 head of calves, and feeds them right behind...

Ok, this has been addressed before. In Silkies, the feathering is soft, so the feathers aren't technically "vulture hocks". As a vulture hock is a group of hard feathers pointing downward, as in a D'uccle. At this age of bird, they all seem to have some sort of feathering like this, at least...

???? For eating, yes. For brooding, I don't think sooooo...

Good luck with your hatch! Grab a chair and a nice glass of wine, and watch the chicken TV. As for the coop building, my first thought is this; build three times at least, of what you think you need! Use hardware cloth and welded wire for fencing in the runs, NOT chicken wire! Coop design for...

Love that pic! And the caption reads: "Really?? You took a pic BEFORE I was blown dry!!?"

Glad you think so! I agree with Peep, first one looks like a Blue pullet, the White one, my first impression is roo. That said, I've been wrong as much as I have been right!

You can't really say with a White bred to anything other than a White. The white color hides other colors that may be in the background. Got any pics of the chicks? Maybe we can help guess their sexes. A good profile pic, and a frontal pic showing the comb and crest would be helpful.

Quote: Well, all I can go by is the birds I have here. I believe, since these are my first ever broodies, so I may be wrong, but they need to be laying first before the broody desire kicks in. Mine starting laying at right around 5 months old. They laid for about 4 months, then all of a...

Showgirls were originally a cross between a naked neck Turken and a Silkie. What you see nowadays, hopefully, are many generations away from the originals, that are now called "Showgirls". And yes, even the boys of the breed are called Showgirls!

I have found here it takes a good FIVE WEEKS to make sure they are clear of all unwanted sperm. If you believe it when someone tells you it only takes 2 weeks, you will eventually find out, as I did, that they were very wrong. I did a test mating at 4 weeks, and still got some of the old roos...

Or, the strangled kitten crow! I have a young cockerel that has two different crows. One is so loud and long, his neck is stretched to capacity, and at the end he is completely out of breath. The other one is abbreviated, like a "Er, er, ooo". Just guess he has little to say when he does that one?

I am scared to death to let mine free range! Too many hawks, cats, and dogs that do and don't recognize them as chickens! So, I go and pick them their greenage every night. Right now the blackberries are starting to ripen, and my White male, Bossy, (my avatar), let's me know it, as they are...

If you want the poof and heavily featheres legs/toes, stay away from hatchery birds, and buy from a Silkie breeder. Mine have all been sweethearts except for two little snot cockerels! I find, if you pick them up and carry them around with you while doing chores, they tend to adjust their...