I know crestedchik will know about this, and I am hoping the gang will chime in here.
I got three silkies at the poultry show today, to add to my flock ( already have 1 silkie in the flock) and I have the sneaking suspicion that one of them will turn out to be a rooster. (long story)
So, I am HOPING that it will all work out and with a lot of handling and treats I can keep him relatively docile towards humans. We'll see.
So IF he's in fact a male and IF it all works out, this spring I'll have the possibility of hatching out some silkie chicks! I'll have one white, one partridge and one splash hen, plus a white roo.
Right now I'm in the fact finding stage. I have no idea how one would do this. If it worked out, I would want to let the gal(s) raise their own chicks, not incubate them. What does one do when trying to get the chickens to breed?
Is there a certain point in the year where I can just assume eggs are fertile if left alone? Once bred, how many eggs does a chicken lay that are fertilized before they are not fertile again? Do you just stick the roo and the hen together in a small space and watch ( or not) the magic happen? Then could I take him out and try him with another gal? Or could I just put them all together and that would be fine? There is TONS of info out there about breeding out traits, etc, but I'm still clueless about how easy/not easy it is to get to the chick stage, never mind selective breeding! I need the down and dirty!
LOL!
Wondering about advice and basic info for 1st time breeders
Your little silkie roo will cover even your big girls if you have big girls lol. You do not have to do anything to get a roo to mate he will. Is he the only rooster you have? If not then it would be a good idea to pen up all the silkie together so you get only silkie chicks.
Silkie roosters are great to have around they are gentle. And make good fathers. Mine took an active roll with raising chicks. I had 2 hens and 2 roosters. They lived in a pen together to keep the line pure (only silkie) When the chicks hatched they all raised them as a group. It was the coolest thing to watch. They were a little upset when I let the mommies and babies out to free range. I did wait a month before I let the hens keep their eggs for hatching. They were around a large breed rooster before being penned and I did not want to take the chance of not having full silkie.
From everything I've read they say an egg will stay fertale about 25 days after being covered (mated)
I hope I didn't confuse you lol.. My brain is in a fog I didn't sleep well lastnight.
Hi there
Yes, I have a mixed flock but only the little silkie roo. I think my 4 big girls are safe :)
So you took the eggs for a while, then did you give them all back so they would hatch at once?
Are they laying yet? When the eggs are full size they will be smaller than the full size girls a little larger than half more or less. I just let them lay in the nest and leave them, when she feels she has enough eggs she will start setting. then 21 days you will have babies.
My personal favorite book is Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens. I have a few of the Storey's guides and they are all great. The book explains everything there is to know about raising chickens. Common sence and instict takes over from that.
When you do get ready for your hens to set I would give them a place that is private that the other birds can't get into and chicks can't get out. You can put the roo in with them. Your big girls are not used to chicks being around they will eat them. The chicks can not get away from the big girls fast enough for the first few weeks of life. Be careful of them I lost my first hatch because I did not know. The mommies will be good, silkies make the best mommies. I put full size eggs under them to get my babies now. I've even let them set guinnea eggs lol. You never know one day I may let them hatch ducks lol.
Your big girls are not safe from a horney silkie rooster lol. You think they are to small but they can do it lol. That's why I penned mine I raised large birds for meat. Couldn't get that small blood in my lines. I have a rooster out in my pen fattening up that will dress out at at least 8lbs. He is so beautiful, if I was still breeding he would be a keeper. I spent 6 yrs to get a bird that size naturally.
WEll, this is all pie in the sky dreaming right now, anyway, but my plan is in the spring to quarter off the silkie population and let anyone who wants to set on eggs and see what happens. If I have some non-momma/broody silkies will they bother ths chicks?
I wouldn't worry about it until the time comes. My girls let me move them and the eggs to a private nest. when the hen doesn't let me move her I do not let her become a mother. I have rules for everyone around here lol.