Silkies For Sale
Why Roosters Are Important To Your Silkie Backyard Flock 11/01/16
Hens don’t need a rooster in order to lay eggs. Without a rooster, the eggs are infertile. They won’t develop into young chicks. If you are interested in breeding your own hens, then you will need a rooster. Hens, however, will lay eggs without having a rooster around.
A virile rooster will mate frequently with most or all of the hens in its coop, no matter what the breed. A good minimum ratio is 8 to 10 hens per rooster.
A rooster will serve as a guard and defender against perceived and actual danger. He’ll scan the sky and ground looking for potential predators. He will warn the hens if he senses danger. Some roosters will defend their flock with their life. They will normally position themselves between the flock and the outside unknown.
He’ll seek out food for the flock and alert the other backyard chickens that he’s found something tasty. Usually he’ll stand back and let the hens get started before he begins to partake himself. It is fun to see them “tidbit” call the girls. He will sing to them and court them by dipping his wing and dancing around them. All the girls are more relaxed since they know that he is on guard.
Roosters do crow and some people really like that sound. Some people think that silkies have a quieter crow than other breeds. I think that it really depends on the individual rooster. They all sound slightly different and I can tell which rooster is crowing by his individual sound.
A rooster is a handsome bird. It is fun to watch him strutting around the yard and being in charge. Generally, the more a cockerel is handled as a chick, the less likely he is to become an aggressive rooster. Again, some people think that silkie roosters are less aggressive than other breeds. It depends on the individual rooster.
Within each flock there is a social order, or pecking order, that exists among the hens. A rooster will help maintain order by breaking up fights in the hen house. The rooster will keep them focused on him.
Many people like to watch the interaction between the rooster and the hens. Each has his own personality and can be quite entertaining. If a flock consists of only hens, typically one hen will take over the running of the flock. This can lead to aggression. Some hens take it so seriously that they can begin to crow.
I’ve had flocks of just hens before, and I can say that my hen’s truly seem happier with one or two good, responsible roosters around. Roosters will look after the hens, alert them to food and even help them find good spots to lay their eggs.
For tips and tricks for raising outstanding silkies check out our Chicken Learning Center at VJPPoultry.com . VJP Poultry is an NPIP and state inspected hatchery located 30 miles north of St. Paul. We hatch out silkies all year long so we always have stock available. Like us on Facebook to get weekly updates on what we currently have for sale.
Victoria J. Peterson
silkys
New To The Pen 10/30/16
October Fall Chores at VJP Poultry 10/29/16
October is the time of year for finishing what didn’t get done this summer and planning for what will be happening this winter. One big project that needs finishing up is our new coop and run. We started it last fall and we still need to put the last finishing touches on it.
My husband, Dennis, is the handy man in our family. He has been busy this month finishing ramps and doors for the four pop door openings in the new pens. We painted today (purple) and hoped that the white silkies stayed white and did not turn into purple Paints! We also finished up the fencing in the run and closed up any holes that are left.
Since October is the month for planning, we measured all of the runs for the plastic sheeting we wrap around. In past years, we used clear plastic that came on a roll. We measured, cut and zip tied it but by spring it looked pretty beat up.
This year we are going to order clear tarps that have grommet holes. They will cost more than the roll of plastic , but we will be able to use them for possibly three years. Again, we will use zip ties and bungee cords to hang them. They keep snow out of the run and create a kind of greenhouse effect inside it. The plastic cuts the wind and lets the silkies come out of the coop when it is well below freezing.
While ordering the tarp, I decided to also stock up on heat lamp bulbs. I ordered six 125 watt bulbs to be used in the chicks room. Better to have some on hand than to have a crisis occur and be out of them.
Another chore to plan for is water transporting. By the end of October the hoses are put away and I need to start carrying water out to the coops. In previous years, I carried the water in two, 5 gallon buckets. Not my favorite chore. This year I will need twice as much water since we added another coop. I found a few 5 gallon buckets with lids which will work nicely. I plan on using the otter sled to bring the water down to the coops. Always trying to improve the way we do things around here.
One last chore is to go through all of the birds individually. We check to see whether it can see. If not , we trim the feathers around the eyes and underneath the eye with curved scissors. We trim the beak and trim away any long toenails with diagonal wire cutters. We are now set for winter. The birds will be snug in their coops. All it takes is a little October pre-planning.
For tips and tricks for raising outstanding silkies check out our Chicken Learning Center at VJPPoultry.com . VJP Poultry is an NPIP and state inspected hatchery located 30 miles north of St. Paul. We hatch out silkies all year long so we always have stock available. Like us on Facebook to get weekly updates on what we currently have for sale.
Victoria J. Peterson
VJP Poultry 