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Post by beck on Jun 16, 2009 17:37:22 GMT 8
hmm that is weird and just a quick question as i kept my silkies locked up when it was wet but i was told not to get them wet is this a myth ?? and should they be kept out of the rain sorry guys it has been a while since i had silkies but i have finally bit the bullet as my hubby came home from work with 2 dozen silkies eggs for me but i know nothing about what these are like or colours or anything he said he just brought them so it's a surprise ..although 1 did have a white feather stuck to it he got them off a old guy he said so only 5 days till hatch as of wednesday wish me luck
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Post by fluffychook on Jun 16, 2009 18:30:07 GMT 8
Wow what a great hubby, I don't think my OH would think of that. He would be concerned he got the wrong thing....lol.....silly boy. By the way were did he get them from if you don't mind me asking. Good luck with the hatch and I for one will be very interested in seeing what 'surprise' mix you get. It is exciting...lol
They say not to get them wet, but mine got an aweful soaking the other day. Now respiratory has come back to Thunder, so I would say keep them locked up or train them to move out of the rain. Mine will be locked up next downpour.
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Post by Cluck N Waddle on Jun 16, 2009 18:51:13 GMT 8
Did he get them from Mahogany Creek beck?
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Post by fluffychook on Jun 17, 2009 9:29:51 GMT 8
This is the response I received from Maxine about keeping chicks off the ground.
It will give them the best possible opportunity to grow and develope their ammune system, to their full potentual, before being exposed to the elements. I have seen it so many times, when people have bought really good young birds off me, that had a lot of potentual and six months later, when I saw them again, they were barely recognisable as my birds, just looked rough, just like the people's other birds. The birds from the same batch ,that I kept in my setup were unreal. They all had the same genes and ability to look the same, but they had been knocked back ,because they were exposed to the elements etc. This is why I won't sell them before point of lay,now, because I am wanting to promote the breed as a good reliable layer, as well as a beautiful addition to peoples back yards.Have found they do better in the cages,(which are covered with blankets at night, both summer and winter), than in the little concreted yard,that I put them in for a month, or so before I sell them, the longer I leave them in the nursery the better they are!The wire cages have paper litter in the bottom and the food and water outside. It seems to work like a cattle feed lot. I think because they are competing for the food outside the cage( heads through the sides), they are keeping each other warm and have nothing else to do but eat and watch me all day. They seem to do better.All their systems have to do is eat and grow. They dont have to fight the elements,or germs, so all the goodness is going into the feathers and body.I have to give them some time on the ground ie. concrete, before I sell them, because they have to learn to fend for themselves, before they go.The sale yard has a little chooky door from the shed yard, that you can see in the photos, in the bubs for sale photos. They sleep under a blanket draped across the corner in the shed, as they get confidence, they start going out through the chooky door during the day. The concrete is covered with shreaded paper, the area has an iron roof and weather protection on all sides, but the sun does shine into the yard, in the morning, if they want to sit in it. Another example I found ,was a little pullet, that liked to follow me around the shed when I fed them, she escaped from the sale yard out into the main yard.I did notice her pal up with 'Gardner', who follows me around everywhere outside.I didn't check her, as I thought she was her older sister.After a couple of weeks I thought I hadn't seen her in the shed and I certainly hadn't sold her, so I picked up the one in the yard, and it was her, she must have followed me out the door, when I was feeding them ,and not noticed. After a couple of weeks out with the others she was skin and bone, not haveing the pullet mix ,she should have still been on, and wandering around all day with Gardner,who is a good doer and doesn't need to eat all day like a growing pullet needs to. Her fur was so long and fluffy that you couldn't see how skinny she was.It took about a two months back in the shed for her to catch up, to the others in weight.I used her as an example to show people why they need to be on pullet mix while they are growing, The previous batch had already grown bigger than her, and she looked like their little sister by now. Digging around in the soil they loose their foot feathering, and the sun and wind damages their feathers.. Any one who shows would never leave their show birds out in the elements, they have what they call their show training cages,where the birds are kept to prevent feather damage.Once they have damaged their feathers it can take a good six months to get them back to best. Genetics is only part of it, food and upbringing count for a lot.Cherry is a good example of that. Some Show people said, their friend, who I bought Cherries egg off , doesn't have any as good as Cherry!! The husband added ,that he obviously doesn't feed, and look after them like I do.You can see the origional Adult birds I bought. From them I got the bird I have today, so they had the genes, but hadn't been kept and fed to their potentual.They are at their best after their 2 yr molt. Their eggs are bigger and they are a lot chunkier, short, broard ,and heavy.Hope this explains your queastion.I find that Show people won't give you honest advice, because they don't want competition! Even Judges will tell you porkers, and can't be trusted, I feel the Show Crowed, are mostly thinking of $2.95 Ribbons and not their love of their birds, some need to get their priorities right.
Personally, I do understand where she is coming from, BUT I would prefer my birds to have the enjoyment of scratching around (yes does ruin feathers) sun bathing (yes does bleach feathers), rain dancing (lol) and thoroughly enjoying their lives than stuck in a cage and sticking my head out to eat. Sounds like battery hens, but obviously much better conditions.
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Post by Duck Diva on Jun 17, 2009 9:34:04 GMT 8
Im with you fluffy. Definately sounds like a battery situation.
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Post by aliahna on Jun 17, 2009 9:52:32 GMT 8
I completely agree with you too Tina. Mine are outside & they are fit & healthy, definitely not skin & bones. The foot feathers get a bit dirty, but I would rather that plus have the birds living happily in a natural environment than being kept caged. So far I have had no deaths or illnesses so it can't be too bad letting them roam around.
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Post by fluffychook on Jun 17, 2009 10:28:45 GMT 8
The two roosters I got off you Alex have grown into very handsome boys and were very healthy when they arrived so I agree letting them do what comes naturally is not all that bad. Both are crowing, if you call it that...lol. The white boy is still as friendly as ever, always under my feet. I have to make sure I don't tread on him and he still enjoys a pat.
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Post by fluffychook on Jun 17, 2009 10:29:58 GMT 8
Oh and my girls tend to be 'overweight'
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Post by Cluck N Waddle on Jun 17, 2009 12:10:53 GMT 8
Promoting them as a good reliable layer? Pftt, they're not a bl**dy laying breed She's in NT right? I feel sorry for those birds in summer then. They must be so hot stuck in those little cages in I'd imagine stuffy air. I know how much my guys appreciate being able to bathe in the wet dirt and play under the sprinklers in summer to cope with the extreme heat. I can understand that for showing they need to be kept clean and out of strong sunlight etc but I think theres better ways of doing it, but hey each to their own.
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Post by fluffychook on Jun 17, 2009 12:18:17 GMT 8
I thought that was funny too, but maybe you can breed that into them, bring it on I say...lol Yes she is in NT which is why I think why their birds tend to get scrawny, very harsh conditions.
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Post by lakelands on Jun 17, 2009 12:32:14 GMT 8
ha that is so weird....I recon she has bred the hardiness out of her birds which is why they get scrawney when left to fend for themselves. Poor pampered little princesses that have no idea what being a chook is all about. My birds look just fine and they spend their days digging in the dirt. running in the rain and baking in the sun. yes the foot faethers are a bit dodgy but at the end of the day I would rather my chooks were having fun and enjoying themselves and eating and acting naturally than winning shows and getting ribbons but I recon all of ours will still win lots of shows as they are probably overall more healthy
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Post by Judes on Jun 17, 2009 13:40:45 GMT 8
Although I can see some of her points, I dont think it wise to breed birds which are never exposed to the "harshness" of reality outside a cage. It is not to the benefit of the line, or the breed, to continue to select for birds which only do well in a completely unnatural environment, because most chook-keepers would never go to the extreme of coddling young birds for so long.
But I do wonder that maybe in the NT things are quite different and maybe chickens just dont do well there without alot of extra help? Interesting all the same.
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Post by aliahna on Jun 17, 2009 13:51:39 GMT 8
The bit in Maxine's email stating that her birds have nothing else to do all day but eat & watch her, makes me sad. I agree, I think she may have bred the hardiness out of her silkies. That is probably more the reason why the birds she sells don't look so good later when she sees them in their new homes. They probably can't cope as well as they should. Especially in the NT.
You made me laugh Tina about the white boy (I used to call him Sunny) always being under your feet. I remember him being like that, always running over for a pat when he heard me coming. By the way, the ducks I hatched from your eggs are doing great still. The boy chases my daughter around trying to be aggressive, but she loves it & it has become a game for them.
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Post by fluffychook on Jun 17, 2009 14:16:42 GMT 8
I like the name Sunny, white boy sounds so unattached. Great about the ducks, they be nice and big now. Just watch that the drake does not step over the line from having fun to hurting your daughter. He still needs to know who is boss. Otherwise it is nice they play games.
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Post by jacquie on Jun 17, 2009 14:19:32 GMT 8
silkies can be very hardy birds when left to their defences, but they are peabrains when it comes to things like rain. i don't agree with the philosophy of locking them up all teh time, i like my show birds to be chooks and live the life of chooks.........one reason i don't have any white birds (pekins that is) as tehy bleach in the sun lol
different people have different philosophies but i like my chooks to be chooks......and live the life of chooks. mind you washing and blowdrying them aint exactly normal for chookens lol
at teh royal show a couple of years ago i got teh best aoc hen with a bird that had been living her life in my backyard with no special treatment, and toodyay is certainly a harsh environment for silkies, with both heat and cold as stephie can testify lol
basically tina if you are producing beautiful healthy chooks (and you are) keep doing what you are doing!!!!
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