Jan 31, 2013

Excitement! We Have A Chick!



Yes I am so excited! Thank you God for miracles!

This morning when I went out to feed and water the chickens I found this little site. I almost walked out of the pen without looking because I had bothered these hens so much lately.  Funny thing is these hens and their eggs have changed hands or should I say feet so many times...sometimes they would be up in the nest, sometimes some of the eggs would be on the floor, different counts too...Silkies are a funny breed...they're a sharing breed though. You see the broken egg for this chick is on the floor under another hen and yet the chick is up with this hen in a nest...
Yesterday Carly and the grandsons came over and we looked in and saw one of the hens turning her eggs.  It was such a cute site to see her do this with her beak.
  

This is an especially tiny chick.  The pictures make it seem as if they are gray but they do have a lavender tint.  I can't wait to see how large it will grow to be.  I am told they are a full size chicken but they are a small breed.
I also can't wait to clean out this little hen house it is so dirty.  These hens have been hogging the pen for over two months they stay broody... 



I will keep you informed as to any other hatches we may have...they are sitting on several more eggs still....now I have to go to the feed store and get some starter grower feed!!!!
I'll leave you with a few more pictures...Have a great day!
Dolly  




Jan 30, 2013

Three Broody Silkies



Hello thought I would update you as to what is going on in the Silkie Hen House.  The three hens are still very broody and looking a little worse for wear.  They won't let me clean the house or add shavings and have knocked their roosts down. 

It seems that Elvira is now in the left nest, Patty is in the right nest
and
sitting on the floor in front of Patty is Goldie


They are something else


It has now been 19 days but no piping going on yet.  I hope something will hatch...

Have a great day will let you know it anything happens.
In case you haven't seen the other two posts done on these little Silkies
Click on the pictures below to read those
and


 Hope you enjoyed your tour of Silkie Chickens
Please pay us a visit over at Dolly is Cooking
today we have a Ryeboat Dip that is so delicious
 Click Here to see recipe and to see all of the excellent
bloggers' post on The Country Homemaker Blog Hop
 




Dolly   
Linking to these fine Blog Hops:







Jan 28, 2013

To Tell The Truth


 
Hibiscus House Spotlight Series:  Melvin Purvis One of our hometown heros

I found this video on You Tube and just had to share it with you.

We have had quite a few local heroes from our hometown of Timmonsville, South Carolina, and I enjoy showcasing them.  Some alive some deceased but all are legends.

This particular episode was from the television show To Tell The Truth which aired on September 17, 1957.

This will be the first in a series of posts I will be doing on our hometown legend and I hope you will enjoy them.

The video is not the beginning of his story but I wanted each of you to see a little tidbit of the man and how he looked, and spoke.  Such a fine southern gentleman.

When you watch the video you will know who our hometown hero is.  He will be the subject of future Hibiscus House Posts.  We are proud of our town's people and love to share, so I hope you will enjoy this Hibiscus House Spotlight Series.





More about Melvin Purvis

The Vendetta by Alston Purvis son of Melvin Purvis



To Tell The Truth Program CBS September 24, 1957

To Tell The Truth Featuring First Contestant Dance Instructor: Olga Gomez 
Contestant Two: Thelma Krieger World Champion Fisherwoman
Contestant Three: Melvin Purvis FBI Agent who apprehended John Dillinger



Jan 27, 2013

Sunday Chicken Day: Update on The Silkies






 In the nesting box on the left we have
Patty Partridge

 In the right nesting box we have Elvira daughter of Precious a Black Silkie
and now we have Goldie who chose to set with her...

Now there are a total of three broody Silkie Hens
two in this nesting box
one in the other
They don't even care...


Several times one or two of the eggs were pushed out of the nest but still warm so maybe they have been sharing the eggs
I just don't know... 


You may remember the post done recently about the Silkies
These are my surrogate parents because I want another breed of chicken called the
Araucana ..to read more click HERE


This is the breed I am hoping to hatch
Lavender Araucana

I'll keep you informed as to how this goes
Have a great week!
Dolly 


Jan 25, 2013

Chicken Day Meet the Silkies

The Silkie (sometimes alternatively spelled Silky) is a breed of chicken named for its atypically fluffy plumage, which is said to feel like silk. The breed has several other unusual qualities, such as dark blue flesh and bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot, whereas most chickens only have four. They are often exhibited in poultry shows, and exist in several colors including red, buff, blue, grey, black, white, and many mottled variations.
In addition to their distinctive physical characteristics, Silkies are well known for their calm, friendly temperament. Among the most docile of poultry, Silkies are considered an ideal pet. Hens are also exceptionally broody, and make good mothers. Though they are fair layers themselves, laying about three eggs a week, they are commonly used to hatch eggs from other breeds and bird species. Silkies come in both a full-sized and diminutive forms, the latter being typically known as Silkie Bantams.

Zorro Rooster on left, Fluffy Partridge (born to Patty March 19,2012) Post about birth HERE middle and on right Suki White Silkie Rooster (born 2010) & king of this pen.
 With the exception of Suki I hatched him from another source
Patty, Zorro and Precious were bought from 
 
Susanne Blumer of Huckleberry Farm here is South Carolina.  
She also ships hatching eggs so keep her in mind for your poultry needs.

I love the fact that Silkies are very broody and loving mothers. That works pretty well when you want to hatch some of your own fertilized eggs from other breeds you may have or want.

For awhile now I have wanted another breed of chicken an Araucana.
 

 I found some eggs from a breeder for a
Lavender Araucana
 photo credit
 Hinkjc Mountain Poultry Facebook Page

 I have the two Silkies that are broody at the moment and Hinkjc Poultry were kind enough to sell me only a few eggs.

Patty Partridge (born March 19, 2011
She is a very broody hen and I am thankful because I have her now sitting on the 4 eggs below
well with the exception of that small silkie white egg, I did remove that one....my luck I would hatch another rooster....
 


Elvira Precious's child is broody too so I put her on 3 eggs
She is a very young hen

I don't know what she is doing to those eggs they are getting very dirty...
I can't wait to see what hatches with luck that is...
Both of the hens have at one point or another decided to push the eggs out then proceeded to go back and set on them so who knows what the hatch rate will be....I figured it was worth a try since I am not at home now enough to incubate and watch myself.
I'll keep you posted as to what if any hatch....


The Silkie Breed is so delightful. If you are someone who might think the idea of raising chickens is not your cup of tea, you might consider having some of this breed.  They are tiny, adorable and fairly clean as far a chickens go. Their eggs equal in size to about half a regular egg so you would use two to one ratio but even they are adorable.  This breed is more like a pet and you can build a very cute home for them....a very fun pet with the added bonus of eggs....


I apologize for the poor quality of these two pictures but just wanted to share how they gather and how cute they are. 


A gathering of minds, male minds.  Just like men at a country store in front of a pot bellied stove...or standing in front of the water fountain...
Suki, Guinea Guinea, Spot the Barred Rock and JR the Americana ~ I wonder just what they are thinking...and talking about....
Suki is always getting into whatever is going on.  He has to be on top of things, that is for sure. Look at those funny top feathers...

Thank you God for this and everyday!
Happy Chicken Day to you all!

Dolly 

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