Silkie thread!

[Debbi]

Your girl looks as if she's thinking, "Is this silliness of getting me all wet going to take much longer? Haha! But she looks so super cute like that.

I am currently incubating my first batch of Silkies. I've never had chickens before so I'm a complete newbie. It's 20 shipped eggs. Two were unfertilized and one didn't make it past day 3-4. The 17 that are left are all developing consistently, are wiggling around quite well inside their shells, and have excellent air sacs that are beginning to tilt down one side (based on careful candling). All my research seems to have paid off as I seem to have great success up to this point. I'm soooo nervous about "lockdown" stating tonight. I'm praying my good instincts and learned info give me a perfect hatch.

Any last minute advice for a Silkie incubating newbie? I'd also appreciate measurements/specifics for proper aspects of the coop, considering I've read that Silkies don't fly and need coop modifications that are different than typical coops. My guy is building it and it's more like a palace than a coop (I love it!). It would help him greatly to have the correct height for nesting boxes, ramp width/angle, etc...
Thanks

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 Silkies should not be set high off the ground. They have a hard time seeing when their crests come in, and are sometimes afraid of ramps. I would go no more than a foot or 14" off the ground, but that's just me. Everyone does it differently. When I start to build my ideal Silkie coops, they will be no more than 4 foot tall. I would like them all to have the whole back wall open up for cleaning, with doors within this wall for egg removal. Most Silkies pile up on the floor to sleep, others will roost, but not high off the floor. Hence, the shorter height on the coop. It also helps to keep them warmer in the winter time. If you are going to use a ramp, make it wide and put little rails on the side so they don't fall off. The steeper the climb, the longer your ramp will need to be. That is, unless you enjoy picking up each bird, every night, to put them in the coop manually. That may sound cute now, but believe me, after you have to do it awhile, it won't be so cute any more!

Let us know how your hatch goes!!

 

[Hawkeye95]

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

LOL!! Yeah, they don't really love the washing part. But they do like the blow dry.

Your girl looks as if she's thinking, "Is this silliness of getting me all wet going to take much longer? Haha! But she looks so super cute like that.

I am currently incubating my first batch of Silkies. I've never had chickens before so I'm a complete newbie. It's 20 shipped eggs. Two were unfertilized and one didn't make it past day 3-4. The 17 that are left are all developing consistently, are wiggling around quite well inside their shells, and have excellent air sacs that are beginning to tilt down one side (based on careful candling). All my research seems to have paid off as I seem to have great success up to this point. I'm soooo nervous about "lockdown" stating tonight. I'm praying my good instincts and learned info give me a perfect hatch.

Any last minute advice for a Silkie incubating newbie? I'd also appreciate measurements/specifics for proper aspects of the coop, considering I've read that Silkies don't fly and need coop modifications that are different than typical coops. My guy is building it and it's more like a palace than a coop (I love it!). It would help him greatly to have the correct height for nesting boxes, ramp width/angle, etc...
Thanks

Just make sure your humidity is really on. I will even open the lid a bit and throw in a warm wet paper towel to boost it if necessary. And then... sit on your hands. ha!

And for comparison -- here is the male comb

PERFECT!!! I really like the bath shots, because you really get a better idea of what the comb should look like! What a cutie! What a great comb!

 

[Debbi]

Well if I do end up with a cockerel I think I might try mixing it with my brahmas. I want a medium sized bird that is really broody.I guess I could try a brahma capon.

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

 

[peepblessed]

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!

Yeah, I always feel like I'm guessing.

 

[brahmabreeder]

Debbi I have read that capons can raise chicks. Now I don't know how well the hatching part will go

. I have heard of some people that have trained capons to hatch eggs. I look at it as a what do I have to loose situation. The worst thing that I can see happening is that I will have an over sized chicken to eat

.

 

[chikymommadukes]

Thanks to all so much for responding.

Just so I don't make any mistakes... Should the nesting boxes be a little off the floor of the coop (maybe 6" or 8" or 10" high) so they don't sleep in or get all their "leavings" in them? How should I build their step-in piece that goes in front of each nest? Can I make roosting bars out of natural tree branches with the bark removed or is a smooth wooden dowel better? What width around? Do I need a rough surface attached and what would that be made of? What would be the max height be to place these? Also, We are sliding plastic boxes into the nest box areas. They are new lego boxes 12"x15". We thought it would be better for cleaning. Is the size ok? They are about 6" deep to use a good amount of pine shavings and we are setting them in with the step-in piece at about 2-3 inches from the top edge so the chickies can get into them without leaping over the edge like olympic hurdlers. haha. Sound ok? Maybe one solid, gradual-rise ramp that spans across the front of all four boxes and leads approx 8" up to the step-in bar and boxes?
We definitely planned to use smaller gauge, nicer-looking wire for the run. That chicken wire is a bit unsightly... and with snakes, coyotes, and hawks around here we def need extra protection, including a roof over the run and burying some of the lower portion of fencing.

As for the wine suggestion, I already have my bottle of shiraz on the ready. lol.

As for the humidity in the incubator, it has been a constant ~30% with no effort and adding nothing (except for an occasional tiny squirt of water onto the sponge on a couple dry nights when it went a few %s lower.) I was planning to increase it to about 48%-50% at the start of lockdown and then increase it to about 60%-65% after the first pip.
Would the best way to do this be:
1) A washcloth under the grate that i add water to with a straw thru a tiny hole at the bottom? (as needed)
2) A thick terry coated sponge in a dish on the rack and regularly adding water to it as needed?
3) A warm mist humidifier blowing near a hole in the side. * This one intrigues me. Seems like it would create the most fresh air flow and a gentle moist mist for the shells to breathe and stay damp without being soaked.? Then again, I'm concerned that instead of less risk of chicks drowning it could cause a worse risk?? I read that keeping the eggs upright in a carton can help prevent drowning. Should I do this or will it make it too hard for the newly hatched chicks to get out of it and move around in the incubator?
4) A mason jar with sponge inside? Would this need to be secured in a corner so a chick can't tip it over or get stuck behind it? Do I put a cover on with holes in it or leave the top completely open?
Helpppp??!??!?? lol

 

[peepblessed]

I really love the boy I got awhile back. He's a real sweetheart.

He is soooo pretty!! I love his coloring!!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Thanks to all so much for responding.

Just so I don't make any mistakes... Should the nesting boxes be a little off the floor of the coop (maybe 6" or 8" or 10" high) so they don't sleep in or get all their "leavings" in them? How should I build their step-in piece that goes in front of each nest? Can I make roosting bars out of natural tree branches with the bark removed or is a smooth wooden dowel better? What width around? Do I need a rough surface attached and what would that be made of? What would be the max height be to place these? Also, We are sliding plastic boxes into the nest box areas. They are new lego boxes 12"x15". We thought it would be better for cleaning. Is the size ok? They are about 6" deep to use a good amount of pine shavings and we are setting them in with the step-in piece at about 2-3 inches from the top edge so the chickies can get into them without leaping over the edge like olympic hurdlers. haha. Sound ok? Maybe one solid, gradual-rise ramp that spans across the front of all four boxes and leads approx 8" up to the step-in bar and boxes?
We definitely planned to use smaller gauge, nicer-looking wire for the run. That chicken wire is a bit unsightly... and with snakes, coyotes, and hawks around here we def need extra protection, including a roof over the run and burying some of the lower portion of fencing.

As for the wine suggestion, I already have my bottle of shiraz on the ready. lol.

As for the humidity in the incubator, it has been a constant ~30% with no effort and adding nothing (except for an occasional tiny squirt of water onto the sponge on a couple dry nights when it went a few %s lower.) I was planning to increase it to about 48%-50% at the start of lockdown and then increase it to about 60%-65% after the first pip.
Would the best way to do this be:
1) A washcloth under the grate that i add water to with a straw thru a tiny hole at the bottom? (as needed)
2) A thick terry coated sponge in a dish on the rack and regularly adding water to it as needed?
3) A warm mist humidifier blowing near a hole in the side. * This one intrigues me. Seems like it would create the most fresh air flow and a gentle moist mist for the shells to breathe and stay damp without being soaked.? Then again, I'm concerned that instead of less risk of chicks drowning it could cause a worse risk?? I read that keeping the eggs upright in a carton can help prevent drowning. Should I do this or will it make it too hard for the newly hatched chicks to get out of it and move around in the incubator?
4) A mason jar with sponge inside? Would this need to be secured in a corner so a chick can't tip it over or get stuck behind it? Do I put a cover on with holes in it or leave the top completely open?
Helpppp??!??!?? lol

Nest boxes can be on the floor, mine prefer to nest/lay on the ground. I would bump your humidity higher than 60% for the hatching. That doesn't sound high enough. I had sticky chicks on my last hatch because my humidity dropped to 60%. I bump mine to 70% with wet paper towels or sponges. It's easy to boost it. But if you have an incubator that won't hold humidity well, then it might be a good idea to boost it right before you get pips. Or right when you get pips. I use a Brinsea Oct 20, and I can lift the lid a bit and throw in a towel. Even when I fill up both channels full of water, it won't stay above 60% unless I boost it. It's all just trial and error on your part. I wouldn't put in open water in there, though. What kind of incubator do you have?

 

[vannaHaines]

Love love love the silkies!!!!!!!! Here's mine!!!! Hehe My five year old daughter named her Brownie!

 

[mama2my4]

Nest boxes can be on the floor, mine prefer to nest/lay on the ground. I would bump your humidity higher than 60% for the hatching. That doesn't sound high enough. I had sticky chicks on my last hatch because my humidity dropped to 60%. I bump mine to 70% with wet paper towels or sponges. It's easy to boost it. But if you have an incubator that won't hold humidity well, then it might be a good idea to boost it right before you get pips. Or right when you get pips. I use a Brinsea Oct 20, and I can lift the lid a bit and throw in a towel. Even when I fill up both channels full of water, it won't stay above 60% unless I boost it. It's all just trial and error on your part. I wouldn't put in open water in there, though. What kind of incubator do you have?

I was going to say the same thing. I kept mine at 50% during incubation and bumped it up to 70ish for the hatch. That said, I only had half of mine hatch so far. I am giving them one more day. Here are the 7 I did get. 3 home grown (two far left and the buff) and 4 Catdance (in the center).