The Savvy Silkie

02/11/2025

Shout out to my mixed naked neck lady for giving me some gorgeous eggs to look at. 😂💚

This is her second year laying, and they're much richer in hue this time around.

02/08/2025

After a month of hit and miss sickness, and some monitoring outside, Lil Sue (blue satin from my line) is healthy and happy again! My girl is so excited to get "Sue cuddles" from her favorite head dunking, fluffy friend again! My heart is so happy.

To ensure that we always have "Lil Sues", I will be breeding her to my Splash Silkie boy, EnchantedMagic.
That's the only real breeding I'll be doing for 2025. ❤️

02/08/2025

The urge to put eggs in the incubator for fun mixes is strong. 🫣

After years of tracking bloodlines, the idea of surprises sounds like fun! But I'm gonna try to hold off until warmer weather first. I've enjoyed a house free of brooder boxes and would rather them go out ASAP. 😂

02/04/2025

It's crazy how two years ago my flock number was over 100... now I'm down to 8 birds total.

Not gonna lie, I've enjoyed not having to do hours worth of feeding, cleaning waters, and taking the time to make sure all is healthy. Spending more time with my family has been a breath of fresh air. I've stayed off of social media as much as I can and will continue to do so for a while.

While yes, my predator issues are not resolved yet... At night my darling Texas Heeler🐶 (not pictured) has been doing a grand job at what she does well - guarding her birds! Side note - she's an exception to the rule for her breed of dog due to the work I've put into her, please don't get a heeler for an LGD. 🙅🏼‍♀️

I'm excited for this Spring/Summer for a BRAND NEW set up that is coming. New fencing for the pasture and run set up for these few beloved pet birds I have. For now I have about 7 empty runs - they have a skeleton feeling about them - and this one that keeps my remaining flock members.

In time I'll post the extra feeders and such I won't use. This barrel has been wonderful for feeding, and once summer comes I'll switch back to my large auto waterer. 🥰 Less mess, less waste, less hassle!

Until next update,
You are loved and appreciated.
❤️ The Savvy Silkie ❤️

01/29/2025

Well, well, well.
While we do have physical evidence of cats hanging around, I finally got photos of this coyote making himself at home at my place at night.

Finally connecting dots to how my birds disappeared.

I sure do miss my big LGD, Mack Daddy. 😔

01/09/2025

Outside of the ones that are sick/in quarantine, this is it. ❤️‍🩹

A black Satin rooster, a black satin showgirl pullet, and a Splash Rooster (EnchantedMagic).

Everyone else has been rehomed to trusted local breeders and friends.

These boys and girl will stay with my tiny flock of mixed breed hens that I have for eggs and bug control.

My extra breeding pens will be taken down soon, the pannels stored to the side, and in the spring, I will have freshly painted Silkie coops available for purchasing.

I might be selling some feeders and waters in due time.

I will continue this page with occasional genetic guru gander until the day that I decide to start to breed again. ❤️ I might make another page for my side farm life, but being honest... it's not a priority right now to do.

Again, a huge thank you to all of my supporters and followers. Thank you for the ones continuing my birds by using them in their own breeding. One day I'll have something bigger and better for the Silkie World to see.

You are loved and appreciated, my peeps.
🏡 The Savvy Silkie 🏡

01/05/2025

🌧LIFE UPDATE🌧
As time goes by, and events unfold, the more I'm being lead to believe that God wants me to go a different direction in life.

Stepping away from breeding chickens.😔

Let's start....
My favorite free rangers are gone. Generations of my beloved birds, gone.
Simple as that.

EVERY. SINGLE. PROJECT.
GONE.

From turkeys, to bantys, to Deathlayers....

What's last of my Silkie pen is literally just favorites I decided to keep. 5 of which has come down with some kind of respiratory infection (assuming from the up and down weather we've been having, and them standing in the rain... dispite having a covered run... doesn't help) and they're not recovering at the rate I'd hope. Even being inside with tons of TLC.

Being truthful, this very well could be the end, my friends.

Loosing these 5 would absolutely do it.

I've felt the pull to go back into horses for a long while and I've been fighting on keeping both hobbies with limited funds.

Horses and chickens are both expensive.💸

After loosing the best breeders I had, I got burnt out in 2024. Now what I decided to keep is on their death bed...basically.

This next week I'll be praying on what I should do. If I throw in the towel, I'll be contacting trusted friends and breeders to take what I have left. I already have a list.

But if I should choose to quit...
One day I'll restart again. Whether that be 2 or 12 years from now.
With better buildings, better resources.
More knowledge, that's for certain.
I'll still own free rangers for bug control.
But my heart can't take much more of this and God clearly wants me to dedicate to other things. That's how I feel at least.

💟I'm still so thankful for all of the amazing people that have come my way. The friends I've made will forever be my friends. Even if we don't talk daily.💟

Like always.
You are loved and appreciated.
Thank you, my peeps.
The Savvy Silkie

12/28/2024

One thing I learned is that God shuts doors to open new ones. Our actions in life are a butterfly effect and maybe he didn't want me going into the breeding projects I had in mind with my free rangers. Currently my Naked Neck Deathlayer project is holding on by a thred... one pullet is left. Her sisters and mother is now gone. So im unsure if that will continue anytime soon.

While I'm still grieving my babies, I'm thankful that God gave me the privilege to know and love each of them.

The first step is to address the new predator situation. Second step... open the new door to new adventures.

Thank you everyone for the prayers, thoughts and good vibes.
I seriously love you all.

12/28/2024

Predators have struck my little farm. 😔

**update at the bottom**

This time they are striking outside of my coops/runs when the birds are out. Mornin, broad daylight, dusk, I'm unsure. Due to the choas of the holidays, the constant precipitation (thick fog, and rain) and them sleeping in different coops, I'm unable to track when exactly each disappeared but.... I lost 7 free range chickens and 1 turkey within a matter of 24-48 hours. My Silkies are 100% fine.

I'm heartbroken to announce that my beloved Silver Deathlayer, Hades, was a victim. The other 6 chickens were close favorites, and my turkey was my beloved B*W girl whom was 55 lbs. Whatever animal that did this was clearly large enough in size and strength to haul her away through the woods. (We live in the country with thick woods) She is the only evidence of struggle, otherwise I'd think someone stole my birds because there is nothing to work from. Dogs and wild cats is my current theory.

My dogs lost their LGD leader this fall with Mack Daddy passing away, and with one of my girls being a senior (that's loosing hearing and growing slow in pace) and the other being only medium in size, I feel like I'm at a loss for 24/7 protection currently. So i'm unsure what this means yet for my farm.

I'm having a hard time accepting this. Currently I'm in denial or disbelief... it's not quite set in that they're all gone.

🔸️ Update: I was finally able to search for more evidence with the ground drying out. One feather at a time I was able to track into the woods for quite a while until trails went cold. Absolutely nothing left to go off of. I most definitely have a big cat (which im certain of) or coyote problem on my hands.

Please keep me in your prayers as I try to cope and figure out this situation.

12/09/2024

12/06/2024

💢🧼 Soap Box moment...

I have recently observed a concerning trend that warrants attention. When an individual agrees to sell a bird to someone and then secretly sells it to another party, such behavior is unethical.

I want to emphasize that this does NOT apply to situations where the buyer fails to follow through with the purchase and pickup of the bird, as that is the buyer's responsibility.
However, I am addressing situations where a commitment is made, such as an agreement that grants the original seller the first opportunity to repurchase the bird in the future, and that commitment is not fulfilled.
While the bird's owner has the ultimate decision-making authority, it is essential to honor commitments. Reaching out to inform the other party of one's intentions is a basic courtesy and a necessity. If the person is unable to purchase the bird, that is unfortunate, but the initial contact must still be made!

Unfortunately, I have personally experienced this situation multiple times, even with individuals I considered friends. Others I care about have also been affected.

It is essential to conduct oneself with integrity, as it is not a difficult standard to uphold.

Rant over. 🎤

11/24/2024

LittleBoyBlue gave me a gorgeous black satin roo before his passing this year. 🖤
His momma is LilSue, my blue satin.

11/23/2024

When I say, "Your rooster matters" I mean it wholeheartedly. 🩵

This youngster, EnchantedMagic, is still full of pin feathers but look at him! Each day that passes he reminds me more and more of his papa. 😭

11/02/2024

✅️ Let's get a vote! ✅️

Would you rather.....
A) Buy a single healthy adult that is exactly what you're looking for (type/gender), but is of course premium money 💰💰

OR

B) Buy hatching eggs from a reputable breeder with the hatch, quality (not every chick is perfect from eggs) and gender being a gamble... but it's cheaper?

I'm curious to what most perfer and do!
Personally I could only ever afford hatching eggs with the hope I'd get the best outcome possible. But as of recent I picked up adults vs. hatching and I couldn't be happier, definitely makes me rethink my life choices. Mainly because I've had terrible luck with shipped eggs.

10/19/2024

Priscilla has always been my love bug. 💖..And Lil Sue gets jealous so easy. 🤭🫣