Which hatcheries to get silkies?

[Robert Kazlauski]

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME SOON?????

I live in Maryland and would like to know which hatchery or person sells the best bearded silkies that are from winning lines?
I prefer started pullets if possible. If not then I guess young or day old.

Does one particular hatchery sell better or award winning lines of silkies?

I have not had good luck surfing the web.

Any help that someone can give will be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!

 

[Slothinc]

I personally would probably avoid hatcheries if you want really good quality silkies. I live in the west but every time I see silkies around here for sale that came from hatcheries they look so awful!!

There are some groups on facebook that have people who sell hatching eggs (Good Egg, Bad Egg, or USA Only Fertile Hatching Egg Enthusiasts) but you could definitely see if there are any silkie breeders local to you on those groups.

@2ndTink Do you know anyone on the east coast that breeds nice silkies?

 

[Apis mellifera]

Poultry Show Central maybe?

 

[2ndTink]

On Facebook there is a Starry Acres Silkies they are in Maryland, they had some pullets listed for sale recently. That's the only one that comes to mind there, otherwise if you have an ABA membership you can thumb through their annual book and they have a lot of breeders listed.

 

[Robert Kazlauski]

On Facebook there is a Starry Acres Silkies they are in Maryland, they had some pullets listed for sale recently. That's the only one that comes to mind there, otherwise if you have an ABA membership you can thumb through their annual book and they have a lot of breeders listed.

Thank you so much. I will look them up.

 

[Robert Kazlauski]

I personally would probably avoid hatcheries if you want really good quality silkies. I live in the west but every time I see silkies around here for sale that came from hatcheries they look so awful!!

There are some groups on facebook that have people who sell hatching eggs (Good Egg, Bad Egg, or USA Only Fertile Hatching Egg Enthusiasts) but you could definitely see if there are any silkie breeders local to you on those groups.

@2ndTink Do you know anyone on the east coast that breeds nice silkies?

Yes. Thank you for your response. I was thinking the same that private owners might sell better quality silkies than hatcheries. Also, I saw photos of some hatchery silkies that could not compare with those from private breeders. I did not know if it were a mere freak thing, or even just my poor imagination. If anyone knows the name of a person with show quality or award winning lines please let me know.

 

[2ndTink]

If you want silkies that are being bred to the SOP, a private breeder will beat any hatchery. I think I've heard that Cackle has decent silkies, but I haven't seen any if their birds myself.

 

[Robert Kazlauski]

If you want silkies that are being bred to the SOP, a private breeder will beat any hatchery. I think I've heard that Cackle has decent silkies, but I haven't seen any if their birds myself.

I heard that about Cackle too. CAN ANYONE CONFIRM OR REFUTE THAT?

 

[GodLovesU]

@Debbie292d

 

[Slothinc]

Yes. Thank you for your response. I was thinking the same that private owners might sell better quality silkies than hatcheries. Also, I saw photos of some hatchery silkies that could not compare with those from private breeders. I did not know if it were a mere freak thing, or even just my poor imagination. If anyone knows the name of a person with show quality or award winning lines please let me know.

Just an idea - but if you can find out any information about poultry shows in Maryland, then contact someone who helps with the shows - they may know local silkie breeders. Thankfully silkies are so popular and especially seem to be popular at shows, so you should be able to find someone local to you if you do a little sleuthing. I agree that a private breeder/someone who shows will yield much better quality silkies than any hatchery birds that I’ve ever seen.