Silver Pullet Poultry

Hatching has gone so well that I have temporarily stopped setting eggs. I have 6 white broodies, and 5 blue broodies. None of my Dutch bantams are laying and very few of my remaining Ameraucanas are laying at this time. The weather has been on and off lately, good for a few days, then snow again! When will spring get here already???? Had some work done on the house, and with the economy, money is tight for everyone, even us. I have opted to not do too many shows this year due to finances.

I have approx 50 chicks, 14 of those are large fowl Exhibition Rhode Island Reds in Single and Rose Comb. I am contemplating whether I will continue raising Ameraucanas or decide to switch over to RIR's. The reds are fabulous birds, much different in temperment than the hatchery stock. The AOSB classes in shows are usually so small and I rarely see any other Ameraucanas in them so no competition. I will likely keep both breeds still to some degree, but trying to decide which of them I will be actively breeding.

I hatched out several blue silkies, actually, they all look blue at hatch, but it seems that as they feather, they change enough so that I am not aware of if they are black or still blue. I have a few that are looking black now though. Even my Black Ameraucanas have hatched out more of a blue shade, but they are black, no doubt about it as I have no other color. Also hatched out what breeders are telling me are either a partridge or blue partridge silkies. They are nice birds so far, but not something I will be raising.

Will resume hatching chicks as soon as I have some room in the pens for them to go.