Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[kurby22]

Thanks @chickengr @Gammas Bearded Babies and @ForTheLoveOfSilkies It definitely helps knowing I can come here and find others who understand the way owning chickens goes…the absolute joys and the heart break. I’ve never had a Silkie chick, only started pullets…so I may fill the spot in the flock with another Silkie or two as day olds and see if that makes a difference in their people friendliness. Just don’t want to pay as much this time! Hurts more when you add the cost from a breeder for a started pullet and lose them!

 

[CSolis]

Thanks @chickengr @Gammas Bearded Babies and @ForTheLoveOfSilkies It definitely helps knowing I can come here and find others who understand the way owning chickens goes…the absolute joys and the heart break. I’ve never had a Silkie chick, only started pullets…so I may fill the spot in the flock with another Silkie or two as day olds and see if that makes a difference in their people friendliness. Just don’t want to pay as much this time! Hurts more when you add the cost from a breeder for a started pullet and lose them!

I feel for your loss.. Even if raised from hatched eggs you become attached.

 

[Fluffy Lambs]

Hey all you hatchers, I have a question. So I just did a silkie dry hatch and it didn't go as what I thought. So I kept the humidity for days 1-18 around 25-30%. Then on lockdown I raised the humidity to 60-65 percent which should end up with a good hatch? I originally set 15 eggs, when I candled on day 9 I removed 2 leaving me with 13 eggs. It's day 22 and only four have hatched. Based on the eggs that were hatched the humidity was too low. I think I'm going to get a hygrometer for my next hatch. Do ya'll keep yours in the incubator? I will gladly take any advice on dry hatching to make my rates better. Thanks!

I keep mine at 50 and raise it to 70 when there is chicks hatching. I tried raising it to 55-60 when they are hatching but they always dry out and/or get stuck and I have to take the whole egg off for them lol

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Hey all you hatchers, I have a question. So I just did a silkie dry hatch and it didn't go as what I thought. So I kept the humidity for days 1-18 around 25-30%. Then on lockdown I raised the humidity to 60-65 percent which should end up with a good hatch? I originally set 15 eggs, when I candled on day 9 I removed 2 leaving me with 13 eggs. It's day 22 and only four have hatched. Based on the eggs that were hatched the humidity was too low. I think I'm going to get a hygrometer for my next hatch. Do ya'll keep yours in the incubator? I will gladly take any advice on dry hatching to make my rates better. Thanks!

I dry incubate, runs anywhere from 25%-45%. Stop turning the eggs anywhere between DAY 15 and 17, depending on my work schedule. Lockdown around 70%, but I do not up the humidity until DAY 19 or when I see the first internal PIP.

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to try some of these suggestions on my next hatch!

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

15-16 weeks old

These two are siblings. Silkied is male. Both are 3rd gen in my blue egg project. You can see the pullet does not have correct partridge coloring. They do look pretty silkie, especially the cockerel. He's still too orange.

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These are full silkie. Blue partridge cockerel. He too has a lot of extra orange but I'd thought I'd lost the color in my flock.

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I thought this boy was regular partridge, but he looks rather blue now. Was darker as a chick.

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I'm hoping when this boy gets in his adult feathers that they come in bright. He's got a nice base for it to work with.

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So pretty! I do love the orange!
Will the Silkie pullet lay blue eggs or is that the next gen? I can't wait to see pic of your Silkies laying blue eggs!! Wish it was easier to breed for that in 1 gen instead of a long wait of breeding!

 

[kurby22]

Question Silkie genetics gurus! What colors could I get from this rooster? If I have a recessive white, a partridge, and a splash Silkie hens? I think he’s gorgeous Someone is looking to rehome him…

 

[CSolis]

Question Silkie genetics gurus! What colors could I get from this rooster? If I have a recessive white, a partridge, and a splash Silkie hens? I think he’s gorgeous Someone is looking to rehome him…

OMG! That's one of the colors I'm working on for satins... just lovvvvvvveeee his colors!

On another note... first silkie egg just hatched in the incubator (I swiped a few that 'left the nest' early, and then took the last 4 yesterday to avoid more broken eggs)... Should I put the chick under momma tonight when it dries out? She's expecting to hear peeps.

 

[kurby22]

OMG! That's one of the colors I'm working on for satins... just lovvvvvvveeee his colors!

On another note... first silkie egg just hatched in the incubator (I swiped a few that 'left the nest' early, and then took the last 4 yesterday to avoid more broken eggs)... Should I put the chick under momma tonight when it dries out? She's expecting to hear peeps.

I know, isn’t he just beautiful??

Yeah I think after it dries you could once they’re all tucked in for sleep. That’s what I did with our Polish chicks

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Question Silkie genetics gurus! What colors could I get from this rooster? If I have a recessive white, a partridge, and a splash Silkie hens? I think he’s gorgeous Someone is looking to rehome him…

He looks paint with leakage, so the dominant white will really show through in many of his offspring.
With splash he’ll throw blue and blue paint chicks.
With partridge, assuming it’s black based or standard Partridge, he will throw black and paint chicks with a strong possibility of partridge leakage, especially in the males.
With recessive white he will throw paint and likely black chicks. All depends on what the recessive white is hiding genetically.
He is gorgeous!