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Parrothead

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Parrothead

Fairly recently, we decided to give silkie chickens a try. Locally, I think they are called "Cambodian Black Chickens". They have black skin. I believe, their bones may also be black? Anyway, our local Tuk Tuk driver had the first of these that I bought. I got one hen and one rooster. 

A couple days ago, while running around town, we located another owner who had more silkies. So, we picked up six (6) chicks, a hen and a rooster (the mature birds are the siblings of the chicks, not the parents). This morning, we took them all to the farm.

 

Against my (Mr. Resident-Chicken-Wannabe-Expert) advice, she put the all the silkie birds in together. That lasted, oh, about 30 seconds - right up until the two males decided they needed to sort out who was gonna be the head guy in the coop. 

 

Needless to say, she separated them immediately. So, now we are going to have to build - yet another chicken house. It's going to look like a chicken residential area at the farm, pretty soon. 

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Read2Learn

Photos please.

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Parrothead

Photos please.

 

Well, I was going to take some photos. Or, at least that was my intention when I started out this morning. However, there was one thing I left out of the story.

 

When we got to the lady's place that had the six chicks, the rooster and the hen, I wasn't there long before I got pretty pissed off - very pissed off, actually.

 

She (the silkie owner) had tied both feet of each of the little chicks together where none of them could walk - or move at all for that matter. The plastic (string?) was so tight on their legs, I am surprised they had any circulation to their feet. None of them could move in any fashion, in any direction. They couldn't get into a position to even drink water or eat. Yet, she still had them in one of those woven (upside down) bamboo bell baskets that you commonly see fighting cocks in. 

 

bamboo_woven_bell_basket.jpg

 

So, why did she have to tie them up like that? If it took us a little while to catch the little guys, it wouldn't have mattered to me. 

 

The hen and rooster weren't so badly abused. They had single strands around their legs, and still quite tight. But, they did have some length and could get to water at least. 

 

I was so pissed off over this, I had to walk away while Chan cut the strings from them all. The bitch should have her legs tied together and see how she would like it.

 

I mean, these guys don't live long lives, as often they may end up in a pot. So, what would it hurt to give them a bit of a decent life prior to that happening? 

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TorJay

Do you have to worry about snakes getting at the little ones?

Yes, serious question, as I was thinking about doing the same in Philippines upon my return. 

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Parrothead

Do you have to worry about snakes getting at the little ones?

 

Yes, serious question, as I was thinking about doing the same in Philippines upon my return.

 

If building a large coop, dig a trench around the outside perimeter of the coop, prior to adding the chicken wire to the frame. Put the wire down into the trench and cover it up. This will keep animals that may dig a bit from getting to them. It will also keep snakes from getting under the walls of the coop. 

 

My coop that is off the ground has six legs. To keep them from entering the coop, just put metal bands around each leg. Alternatively, you can put grease around the legs. Either will keep ants, rats, and snakes from the coop. 

Edited by Paul
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Parrothead

Photos please.

 

 

The silkie rooster and hen that is laying the eggs.

IMG_1016r.jpg

 

We have two eggs now, in fact. (Sorry for the image quality.)

IMG_1027r.jpg

 

The other silkie rooster and hen (brother and sister).

IMG_1018r.jpg

 

And, the six chicks (siblings of the hen and rooter pictured immediately above).

IMG_1021r.jpg

 

They tend to stick together a lot.

IMG_1023r.jpg

 

When we get the other chicken house built, I am going to put both silkie hens with the other rooster (first picture, above.) Then, I am going to visit the new guy we learned about from our tuk tuk driver, and get up to ten more silkie females. Ten would give me two roosters, six hens for each of them, plus the six chicks we already have.

 

Later expansion will be determined depending on what sex the current chicks are.

 


 

Part of the original 61 (now 59) chickens that we started with here at the house in Battambang:

IMG_1014r.jpg

 

On the 25th of March, they were two day old chicks and looked like this:

IMG_0507.jpg
 
Please note, we had only picked up the first 20 in the image immediately above. The white birds you see in the image above that one had not been purchased. We didn't get the white ones (41 in all) until five days after the first 20. However, they were born on the same day. So, all of the birds will be ten weeks old on June 1st. (This does not include any of the silkies, though.)

 

She weighed them today. The biggest ones are already over 1.5 Kilograms. 

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Parrothead

We are up to 4 eggs for that hen.

 

Unfortunately, I think the brother and sister are doing it - Tiger Ridge, Georgia style. So, I will not let any eggs she lays, hatch.

 

We are going today, to see if we can find some hens for her brother, and then we will transfer her to the other Silkie rooster's "domain".

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jimmyboy

wont hurt anything to hatch those eggs, you can in cross many times if you take a break every 2nd gen. if you go to the "cousin " level you can in cross for 9 gens if you have a broad line of inheritance.

 

i am talking chickens here- not mammals.

 

so don't get smart people.

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Parrothead

Well, we went by another chicken supplier today. We picked up six new hens - four white ones and two black. I figured I would see what mixing the white and black ones up will make. These are only three months old, though. So, they are not quite mature enough to start breeding. The other girls are going to just have to hold out for a while. :D

Edited by Paul

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Parrothead

Got the images off the camera, of the Silkies.

 

IMG_1059r.jpg

 

Yeah, I know. I don't like using that feeder. But, we have more birds now and have run out of feeders to keep them fed. I will have more made when I return to the farm.

IMG_1060r.jpg

 

IMG_1062r.jpg

 

IMG_1065r.jpg

 

IMG_1066r.jpg

 

One hen has just started to lay eggs.

IMG_1067r.jpg

 

IMG_1068r.jpg

 

Another hen is well on the way.

IMG_1071r.jpg

 

The chicks are in their own little house, until we can get more accommodations sorted.

IMG_1073r.jpg

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