Silkie Egg Size And Color

 

Just a little example to show the difference between silkie eggs, size and color. Any breed of hen lays larger eggs each year. Believe me, that cochin egg is very large lol. So an older silkie can give you decent sized eggs. Egg shell color varies hen to hen, and diet can effect that and yolk color as well. During the laying season, hens eggs lose a little pigment with each Egg laid. The color returns next season. 

Mean People Suck

 

There's nothing new under the sun, but hatefulness in people is definitely getting worse. It's all over the internet of course, but I'll see someone asking an innocent question, seeking help with their chickens, gardens, anything, and people put laughing emojis, and make rude and sarcastic comments. Then you have breeder in-fighting, people commenting about prices of chicks or eggs being ridiculous, just no shame about saying anything and everything. I've seen a large amout of breeders posting about this. And the "mean girl" bullies ganging up on someone who dares to mention a bad experience with one of their friends. Just go visit the group 'good egg bad egg' to see that in action. 🙄 I've seen it in the plant community as well as everything else.
It discourages and embarrasses people. I feel sorry for decent people who get this kind of treatment, and won't tolerate it here. I grew up a farm kid, have always had chickens and other animals, worked at a dairy farm, and have worked on my current silkies for 6+ years. I ask a fraction of what I've paid for chicks, adults and eggs to get good quality genes to work with. I keep bedding clean, feed good quality feed and supplements, do preventative treatment for mites ect. I'm a member of breed clubs, and the APA. I own and have referred to an APA breed standard. I've had my chickens tested by the stated for the NPIP and AI program. (Not currently participating.) Even though I considered it, I haven't shown my chickens. In summary, I have experience. When you get older, (I'm 51,) you realize that the saying "life is short," is very true. You wonder how the years have flown by and evaluate your life, beliefs, and time. What matters to me, is how God sees me, and how my children and grandchildren will remember me one day. Not what some snobby chicken person, or other person thinks. 😄
I will enjoy my hobbies with plants, and my animals, and probably sell both for less than they're worth, but be satisfied with what I pass on to others. If I want to breed and enjoy adorable fuzzballs, even if some aren't an accepted variety because of color or feather type ect, I sure will!
So if you're being bullied, or put down, or trying to hold yourself to impossible standards of what other seem to be, but probably arent, evaluate why you're doing something in the first place. And just a friendly observation...if you're one of the mean people out there, you suck! 🙃

Hatching Eggs!

 I have a doz hatching 🥚🥚🥚's from my paints available for local pickup, or shipping within Mo only. 

💵 50 plus shipping because I'm out of incubator space atm! 

Normally 💵 65

Southeast Missouri 

Message to claim 😊

READ before committing:

https://cherylshenhousemo.blogspot.com/2020/09/if-i-sell-you-chicks-or-eggs.html

Drama in Chickenland

 

So guys, I hate to post about this, but I have to. Maybe it will save some you future problems. As alot of you know, I've been more focused on nursery things and other things for the last year or so than raising a lot of chicks. I haven't even been on fb much at all. So in trying to get reaquainted in chicken land, and catching up on what's going on in that world, I'm seeing alot of things after visiting my old groups and checking with breeders on a few new varieties that I'm interested in. Scamming has always been a thing, as we know. Since probably a year or so after most people got home computers and things took off. But, it's gotten worse. Fake look-a-like pages have gotten to a ridiculous level. Its almost impossible to detect. They are still stealing breeders pictures and using them to scam. That's why I started labeling mine. Also, many long-time breeders have gotten out of breeding, and tons of new ones have popped up. There's also still as many issues, if not more, when shipping and ordering eggs and live birds. I'd hoped the usps would get better, but it seems worse. Constantly raising prices. Lost egg packages and even birds, delayed by a week, hatching eggs scrambled, or broken, and frozen by the time they show up. From shipping plants(live), I highly recommend using UPS. Breeders are not doing what they should, buyers too, and terrible communication. I'm kind of dealing with this currently. Misguided expectations, lying on people trying to destroy their names. Smh, I'm taking it ALL into consideration. 

I'm not trying to discourage you from buying, selling, showing, or breeding. But, we all need to be doing our due diligence to check people and their pages and birds out as much as possible. See if anyone you know, knows the breeder. Try to find posts about fake pages and scammers. Don't forget, avian influenza is still very bad in some areas, be careful! 

Cheryl

🌷🐣🌷

Almost Spring!

 

Time to start seeds indoors, prune trees in Feb., and spray dormant oil if you plan to. Roses can be pruned soon if needed, prune off old blooms on your hydrangeas if you haven't, and hang in there for warmer days! 

Thank you to everyone who visits the blog, Facebook and my etsy shop. I also have some plants listed on ebay. 

Whether you stop by for chicken "stuffs" or plant stuff, I appreciate it! 

Merry Christmas!

 Thank you so much, to all who have supported the nursery this year, and me. It's hard work, but I enjoy it, and knowing that beautiful plants are growing for you in so many places of the US, that started right here...Pretty amazing and humbling. I hope that you all have a safe, healthy, and joyful Christmas and New Years day! 

Thanks again 

Cheryl 

🐥🌷🌸🌷🌸🌷🐥

 

Nursery Thoughts