Monday, April 11, 2011

Silkie Success

Meet Marilyn


This lovely lady is a Silkie X Frizzle hen.  She is 6 months old and commenced laying last Monday.  She is especially pretty and so tiny compared to the other ladies in our coop. 

Meet Johnny



This strapping gentleman is our Silkie X Frizzle rooster.  He is 6 months old also and is the "Man of the Coop". 

Yes, we did get these two lovely birds at the same time and we bought them with hopes of them both being hens.  We'd been talking about adding to the flock for sometime when our neighbour told us about the cute little chicks at our local produce barn.  So off we went, to the produce barn with absolute intention of bringing home some new babies.  We chose these two as they were the largest and most ganged up on in their enclosures.  Upon coming home they bonded and they have barely ever left one another's side since.     As I said, we had hoped for 2 hens but it was somewhat exciting when Johnny started making strange noises which we suspected were the beginning of him becoming a 'man'.  We contemplated returning him to exchange for another but after talking to our neighbour and learning more about a rooster's role in a flock, we were in it for keeps.  He is such a lovely little fella, when he isn't crowing repetatively at 1p.m. ???  (I still don't understand what that is about)  I have learnt from these two that all chickens are not destructive and compulsive scratchers, digging holes in the yard and plants out of the garden :-) Quite frankly, thank goodness.  I have also learnt that just because they are small does not mean that they are easy to catch :-)  All I can say is that I would have loved to have been one of our neighbours watching us try to round them up on the occassions when Marilyn and Johnny have been less than co operative.     

We have hopes that this lovely couple will parent some chicks before the cold sets in.  Marilyn eggs are fertile and well I have been seeing their antics in the coop so I am sure motherhood is not far away for Marilyn. 





Like porcelin

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