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debbie26pet

how easy and advise on hatching eggs etc

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i know of a hatchery, got a rabbit in door cage so a lamp for when they born,l fancy getting some silki eggs mixed, what is the ratio usually to hens to cockerals, how easy to sex early, i would need to get rid of the cockerals how?. thinking 6 eggs, any tips advise please.

how easy woul dit be to introduce to other hens i only got 4 a buff suffolk, 2 rhode reds and a white silkie (think it the bantham one.)

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They usually reckon 60% are cockerels.

Sexing depends on the breed - not sure about silkies but I've known people not be able to tell until they are 20 ish weeks old and start crowing!

Cockerels at that age - either rehome (not easy unless from very good stock and useful for breeding) or eat them (not sure how much meat on a silkie, they are not big birds)

You would have to wait until the chicks were a good size before introducing them to your existing hens - about 18 weeks old.

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If I were you I would wait until you are a bit more experienced in the hen keeping department before you attempt hatching Debbie.

 

It seems a lovely idea, but there is more to it that at first meets the eye.

 

The ratio of hens to cockerels is totally unpredictable, You might get all hens, all cockerels or any combination in between. :?

 

Unless you get day old chicks that can be sexed upon hatching because of their feathering, it can take quite a few weeks for the differences to be apparent.....and even experts can make mistakes!

:lol:

 

This forum has a policy of not dabbling in the rehoming or despatching of unwanted cockerels, so I'm afraid you would have to find advice about that elsewhere.

 

Spend this summer getting to know your new flock, and have a rethink another time would be my advice. :lol::lol:

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I'll echo what the others have said - hatching is great and very rewarding, but can also go horribly wrong. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend it until you are far more experienced and have either found homes for any unwanted males, or feel able to cull and prepare them for eating. I wouldn't recommend eating silkies, as Fee has said, the meat is black and there is very little anyway. Silkies are sweet birds (not my type though), but remember that the hens will tend to be broody most of the time :?

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