Specializing In DNA Sexed Female Bearded Silkie Chicks We are NPIP Certified SILKIE MAKE GREAT ADDITIONS TO EVERY HOME

While most oen thought of as barnyard birds, chickens are found in urban, suburban, and rural environments across the country – and for good reasons! Chickens produce fresh eggs for their owners to enjoy themselves or sell, provide a natural form of pest control, and make fun, inexpensive, and easy to care for pets. There are many variees of chickens, and one of the most unique, beauful, and friendly is the silkie . It is because of these qualies that silkie chickens are an excellent choice for novice and seasoned chicken owners alike. Addionally, silkie chickens can be entered into shows, which can become a fun hobby for the family to enjoy together.

The following arcle will provide an overview of silkie chickens, what to expect from them, and how to care for them. Once you decide to open your home and heart to these unique birds, contact the breeders of Amber Waves to purchase silkie chickens and get any quesons answered.

www.amberwaves.info/ 1 The rich history of Chinese silkie chickens

The silkie (somemes spelled Silky) chicken is an old, unique breed of poultry aptly named for its fluffy that is said to feel like silk. In addion to its allowing the silkie chicken to stand out from other breeds, silkies are also unique because of their dark blue flesh and bones, blue earlobes, and five (as opposed to four) toes on each foot.

Originang in Southeast Asia, most likely in China, someme before the 1200s, the first wrien record of silkie chickens comes from Marco Polo, who wrote of chickens with fur-like feathers in the logs from his Asian travels in the 13th century.

Silkies made their way West via the Silk Route and were officially accepted into the North American Standard of Perfecon in 1874. Today, silkie chickens come in bearded and non-beaded variees and can be seen in poultry shows across the United States.

Colors

The American Bantam Associaon accepts six standard colors of Silkies for showing: black, blue, buff, white, partridge, splash and gray. However, there are also some non-standard, yet, popular colors. These popular non-standard colors are red, lavender, porcelain and cuckoo.

The difference between males and females

It is quite difficult to tell the difference between male and female silkie chicks because they take longer to mature than most other chicken breeds; however, once they are mature, there are some differences that set males and females apart.

For example, males (roosters) tend to be larger than females (hens), with roosters weighing an average of 4 pounds and hens weighing an average of 3 pounds. The (the flap of ssue at the top of the chicken's head) will be larger on a male than on a female.

Also, the saddle feathers will be long and sharp on a male and soly rounded on a female. Another more obvious difference is that roosters will crow and females will lay eggs. www.amberwaves.info/ 2 Costs associated with keeping silkie chickens

Silkie chickens are extremely affordable pets to own, especially when considering the benefits of keeping them such as access to fresh eggs, pest control, and companionship.

Silkies require housing, which can be cheaply built at home or purchased. Besides the low costs associated with building or purchasing housing, silkie chickens need food and access to clean water.

Chicken feed is quite cheap when purchased, and silkies can also eat scraps from your home and insects they find themselves. Health costs can be kept to a bare minimum, especially when their housing, food, and water are kept clean.

However, silkies will need a dust bath from me to me to get rid of lice. Fortunately, dust baths are also low cost.

Housing

Silkie chickens need a coop to live in, and as previously menoned, chicken coops can be purchased premade or built at home. The chicken coop should be a safe, clean place for silkies to roost, lay eggs, and be protected from predators. Three square feet is needed in the coop for each silkie, and roosng posts should be close to the ground because silkies can't fly.

Nesng boxes, chicken feeders, and a watering staon will also need to be purchased or built. While the coop doesn't need to be extravagant, it should be set up before the chickens arrive. It is also advisable to set up a small fence around the yard where the silkies will be allowed to roam.

Feeding

Silkie chickens need no special diet; they eat seeds, grains, bugs (hence the natural pest control), and vegetaon just like any other hen. Feed silkies the same food as all breeds of hen and give them a layer complete food when they are of egg laying age to ensure they get all the nutrients they need for good egg producon.

www.amberwaves.info/ 3 Egg production

While not typically known for their egg laying abilies, silkies are actually excellent layers of relavely large-sized bantam eggs. Silkie chickens, unlike most other breeds, will connue laying eggs throughout the winter because their fluffy feathers keep them warm and content.

In addion to being great egg layers, silkies are known for being the broodiest of all chicken breeds are oen used to incubate and raise the offspring of other poultry. This broodiness coupled with the silkies' docile nature make silkies the perfect pet because they are friendly, affeconate, and good with children.

Longevity & Health

When compared to other chicken breeds, silkies are extremely long-lived. Silkie chickens oen have life spans up to around nine years old, and they will stay beauful even when older. Even though silkie chickens are small and unable to fly, they are surprisingly hardy and resilient. They are able to thrive in both cold and warm climates.

To give silkies the best chance of staying healthy over the course of their lifemes, owners should keep their coops, food, and water as clean as possible. Silkies should also be looked over weekly for mites, lice, and changes in health. Bad mite infestaons can kill a bird, or at least weaken it so that it is suscepble to any illness or infecon. Therefore, it is important to look over birds frequently, and if mites are found, treat the enre flock. www.amberwaves.info/ 4 NPIP – what it is and why it's important

The Naonal Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) is a naonal program in collaboraon with state and federal departments of agriculture and industry representaves.

The main objecve of this program is to use new diagnosc technology to effecvely improve poultry and poultry products throughout the United States. The NPIP provides cerficaon that poultry and poultry products desned for interstate and internaonal shipments are disease free.

In order to be a NPIP flock, requirements include Annual P-T Tesng, AI Tesng, Annual premises Inspecon, and Annual Records Audit. Amber Waves currently maintains a NPIP flock. Obtaining birds from an NPIP cerfied flock is extremely important to ensure you are bringing birds into your home that are as healthy as possible.

Chinese silkie chickens provide their owners with years of entertainment and companionship while only requiring a minimal investment of resources and me. However, to ensure the best possible silkie chicken experience, only purchase chickens from a reputable breeder.

Amber Waves, an industry leader for over 26 years, provides its clients with high quality silkie chickens from its NPIP cerfied flock and support over the enre lifeme of the chickens. Contact Amber Waves (hp://showsilkies.com/) to purchase silkie chickens and get all of your silkie chicken quesons answered.

www.amberwaves.info/ 5 WHAT ARE DNA SEXED FEMALE CHICKS?

DNA Sexing

Amber Waves is one of the few if not the only Bearded Bantam Silkie Breeder that takes the time and money to DNA sex their chicks. It is a well-known fact that it is impossible to sex baby silkies till they are near full grown.

Many of our customers can only have female chickens in the city or county they live in. Customers who have experienced the heartbreak of raising and falling in love with a baby chick(s) only to find out it is a male that they cannot keep because of zoning regulations buying an already sexed female makes excellent sense.

How often are female chicks available?

Depending on how many chicks we have in the three - four-week range we will do a few test groups a month. We do not do DNA sexing until the chicks are old enough to wing band so they can be identified for testing.

What is DNA Sex

Avian DNA Gender Determination (bird sexing) Is a non-surgical tool used by veterinarians, breeders, and bird owners who otherwise cannot determine the gender of their bird by its physical appearance or characteristics. DNA testing can be performed on blood cards or feathers. We use PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) to detect the presence of male and female chromosomes in the bird's DNA.

www.amberwaves.info/ 6 How old are DNA Sexed chicks?

In most cases, DNA sexed chicks will be anywhere from 1-3 months of age. The demand for DNA sexed females is high, and they usually do not stay around a long time before sold. You can get an estimate of their age by taking their DNA date and counting back 3 weeks or 4 weeks.

The majority of DNA sexed chicks are not coop ready they may still be under a heat lamp or at the very least inside till they are fully feathered

How much is DNA Sexed Female Chicks

We never know the cost of a DNA sexed female chick until we get the lab report back. To arrive at the price of the female chick(s), we take the total cost of the lab work, actual chick price, and any other expenses in that test group and divide by the number of females we have.

The males have no value, and we rehome them for free. Historically prices have been $75 and up per chick.The amount is entirely dependent on the number of females versus males. We had one group we tested 18 chicks and got one female that was a very high-priced chick.

www.amberwaves.info/ 7 Pickup and/or Shipping DNA Sexed Chicks

Pickup is only by appointment. go to http://amber-waves.genbook.com.

Shipping charges change with the United States Postal Service. Please check our sale page for current rates. Shipping charge includes Express Mail Postage, and fresh fruit for the trip.

Our minimum for shipping is 2 chicks, and they must be at least 1 month of age older is better.

We do offer to board of chick(s) till old enough to ship space permitting. All babies are kept in our climate controlled barn till old enough to ship. We charge $10 per month or any part of a month per chick for boarding.

In the event, your chick(s) become ill or die Amber Waves reserves the right to replace any chick purchased with another female chick of equal value which may or may not be the same color as initially purchased or refund the price of that chick

Ÿ Notes prices subject to change without notice. Ÿ All sales are final no refunds or exchanges www.amberwaves.info/ 8 History: Chinese Silkies are believed to have originated in Asia, although despite the name, it is unclear whether it was in China, Japan or India. Amongst his many other exploits, Marco Polo is believed to have introduced this bird to the western world sometime between 1254 and 1324. Of all the ornamental chicken breeds, the Silkie Bantam is one of the most popular and beloved, and certainly one of the most entertaining to watch. They're the lap kitty of the chicken world, complete with hair-like plumage and an incredibly sweet temperament.

Appearance: It only takes one look at this chicken to see how it got its name. This soft, hairy-feathered fowl looks unlike most other poultry The Silkie's feathers lack barbs which would otherwise hold the strands together, thus the individual strands sit free of each other beak. Silkies differ from other fowls in that they have dark flesh and five toes.

Temperament: Silkies are one of the most compliant and docile animals ever born and despite their soft delicate appearance are reasonably robust. The birds can be tamed and are often regarded by their owners as a real pet. Combine this with their curious, BEARDED delicate appearance and one can see why this bird is BANTAM SILIIES often an appealing choice for the novice or child. Breed: Chinese Silkie Chicken Temperament: Docile, easy to handle Health and Lifespan: Silkies have an average Lifespan: 9 years lifespan of 8 to 9 years. Maintenance: Low Ideal owner: great for kids, novices and fowl enthusiasts

Grooming and Maintenance: Silkies don't require much extra care compared to other varieties of fowl. It is not uncommon for breeders to trim the 'undercarriage' of their broody hens as knotted strands can strangle chicks. Regular trimming of the nails is recommended; use strong scissors and file the nails smooth, as often as necessary. Clean your silkie's coop at least once a month, using fresh pine shavings on the floor. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth everywhere, except around food and water, to control fleas, lice and mites.

Feeding: If you are purchasing a commercial feed I recommend a 24% grower that you often use for starting chicks compared to 16%. Besides commercial feed and access to green grass and insects that crawl and fly during good weather. They also have access to scratch grain and grit. Oyster shell should also always be available.

Breeding and Cost: Unlike some crossbred pullets, Silkies are not repeat layers and will stop laying through winter. Breeders say to expect an average of 90 to 120 eggs per year. Silkie hens are good mums and are often bred with other varieties of fowl due to their strong brooding instincts. A Silkie hen will comfortably raise 6 to 8 chicks. Silkies cost from around $20 to $120 per bird or more; it's best to buy them from a breeder. If just starting out, breeders recommend buying Silkies in pairs or in threes. www.amberwaves.info/ 9 Space and Exercise: Allow 2 square feet per silkie. The Silkie's feather structure prevents the bird from being able to fly they usually prefer to camp in great piles on the ground with several roosters, hens and young birdes all sleeping together. They can be housed on bare earth although shavings and deep litter is preferable to prevent damage to the feathers from rough, muddy conditions. Be mindful that predators such as dogs, cats and foxes would also find these birds easy targets.

Recommended For: Silkies make excellent backyard and pet fowl. They are reasonably quiet (though check with local council regulations governing the keeping of poultry in your area) and a couple of hens can be kept without the need for a rooster. While not prolific layers, 6 to 8 hens are adequate for a small family although the eggs are small, around 40 grams.

Silkies are an ideal bird to introduce the novice and child to poultry keeping and pet care. They are suitable for children aged from around 6 years and up.

Clean your silkie's coop at least once a month, using fresh pine shavings on the floor. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth everywhere, except around food and water, to control fleas, lice and mites.

www.amberwaves.info/ 10 General Information

How to Purchase

All chicks females and free males will be listed for sale on this site https://silkiesforsale- com.3dcartstores.com/

Let me know if the chicks need to be shipped or if you are picking them up. Chicks must be picked up within a week of purchase or board will be $10 per chick per month or any part of a month.

Weather

We cannot ship when it is too hot or too cold. Basic guidelines are above 80*F or below 20*F

Shipping

We do not ship any chicks under a month of age and prefer them to be older if possible.

Minimum to ship is two however , more is better of the chicks being shipped.

Shipping rates change with rate increases from the United States Post Office. Please check our web site for current prices https://silkiesforsale-com.3dcartstores.com/ If the shipping charge is more we will invoice you for the different. You also need to purchase a shipping box listed on our sales page.

We only ship n Mondays or Tuesdays and never in a week with any holidays.

Live birds will only be sent Express Mail in approved horizon shipping boxes. The USPS does not insure live bird and does not refund postage unless the birds are 3days or more late. If you have any questions about the USPS Policy, Please contact the USPS through their website or call them and ask them about their Live Bird shipping policy. Once the box/brids leave my hands, I have no control over how the post office will treat them. I do not refund for dead /Injured birds on arrival, No postal refunds for late deliveries. www.amberwaves.info/ 11 Boarding

Boarding may be available and is $10.00 per month or any part of a month per bird. Please contact us for availability.

Sometimes things happen to chicks/birds that are out of our control. in the event a bird becomes ill or dies while waiting to ship Amber Waves reserve the right to replace the bird with another bird of the same sex (may not be the same color) or refund the purchase price of that one bird/chick.

All chicks/birds boarded will receive the same care and routine worming, coccidia, and vaccinations as Amber Waves breeding stock.

Payments What is DNA Sexes Amber Waves accepts Cash, Checks, Silkie Chicks Electronic Checks, MasterCard, Visa, Amex, Discover or PayPal. Silkies chicks are impossible to sex as chicks. Most are sold straight run which means you do Holding Birds not know if they are males or females. Amber Waves is one of the few if not the only breeder We do not hold any birds without full that take the time and money to send blood payment. work into a lab to determine the sex of a chick. In most case chick prices are determined by Prices the total costs which include the lab work, chick itself, and any other expenses related to the testing of the group for chicks then we take that DNA females prices - we never know the total and divided by the number of females. price of the females until we get the lab The male have no value and we rehome them results back. to good homes. Straight Run Chicks - At this time we are not doing Straight Run Chicks only DNA Sexed female chicks. Usually males are free.

Baby chicks are fragile, and we do not replace chicks that die. www.amberwaves.info/ 12 ARRIVAL DATE - FIRST DAY INSTRUCTIONS. Be sure you have some flexible time to pick up your birds from the post office. Sometimes they do not arrive when expected. Be sure your brooder area is set up and the heating source tested so the birds can go straight into the brooder as soon as they arrive. Refrain from handling or playing with the birds for the first 24 hours. Because the birds are very small we recommend heating the drinking water to 98 degrees for the first 24 hours. They will drink a lot of water. If it is too cool this can rapidly decrease their body temperature and put them into shock. Gently grasping each chick by the head, dip the beak in the water, then let go.

You can add one tablespoon of sugar to one quart of 98 degree water and shake well. Use this mixture for the first eight hours and then change to regular water. Normally, the chicks will not start drinking or eating until the chick’s body has warmed. So, at floor level the temperature needs to be 100 to 101 degrees directly under the heat source. Allow plenty of room so the birds can walk away from the heat source when they become too hot. Allow one brooder lam per 25 chicks using a 100 watt incandescent light bulb.

The bottom of the bulb should be about 18 inches above the floor. Lay down several layers of paper towels around the brooder floor and sprinkle chick starter on the paper towels. Their feet will not slip on the paper towels and they will pick at all the sprinkled chick starter. Change the paper towels as needed. Remove the paper towels and/or sprinkled feed the next day and use normal feed in a feeder.

FEED: Use a chick starter/grower. During the first day the chicks find the feed more easily if you sprinkle it on a paper towel in the area where the chicks will be. Thereafter, put the feed in troughs that are low enough for the chicks to see and reach easily.

Allow one foot of trough feeder or one round feeder for every 25 chicks. Never let the chicks run out of feed. Adding chipped boiled egg yolk on top of the feed gets the chicks off to a good start and encourages them to start eating feed right away. It is important to remove all uneaten boiled eggs after two to four hours. We don’t recommend adding grit because the chick starter/grower feed is formulated for what the chick needs to digest the food.

Chicks should stay on a full feed ration of chick starter/grower until they are four and one-half to five months old. EXCEPTION: You may want to limit feed intake on Jumbo Cornish cross starting at the 14th day by taking the feed away at night. This seems to help slow the growth of the bird just enough to allow the skeletal structure of the bird to catch up with their fast muscular development.

www.amberwaves.info/ 13 WATER: Maintain a one-gallon chick waterer for each 50 chicks. Do not medicate the first water. During the first day you can add on to two tablespoons of sugar to 1 quart of 98 degree water and shake well. Use regular water heated to 98 degrees on the second day.

On the third day use room temperature water. Dip the beak of each chick in the water before you turn it loose. Your chicks will be thursty when you receive them. A taste of water right away helps them find more water soon. Most baby chick loss is caused by starvation or dehydration. Never let your chicks run out of water.

HEAT: A drop light with a reflector shield and a 75, 100 or 150 watt bulb is a good source of heat. Use as many units as necessary to keep the chicks comfortable. Ensure that the lamp is hanging from a secure anchor. The bulb wattage will determine how high you hang the fixture above the birds.

Chicks three to seven days old should have an air temperature one inch off the floor of 95 to 98 degrees. Raise or lower the reflector to achieve this effect and allow plenty of space so the birds can migrate to a cooler temperature if desired.

Initially, regular white light bulbs are fine. However, after one to two weeks red bulbs can reduce feather picking. The temperature may need to be slightly higher for Bantams and other small bodied birds. Use a thermometer will help to ensure that you have the proper comfort level for the birds.

Reduce the temperature five degrees per week until you reach 70 degrees. Begin with one or two bulbs per 50 chicks in cold weather. Then watch how the birds act. See diagram. Even after they don’t need the light for warmth, the birds need a small light at night to prevent them from piling up. Be sure to watch Cornish Cross as they grow faster than other birds and will overheat more quickly.

SPACE: Try to provide one-half square foot per chick at the start. For starting 50 chicks use a draft shield and make a circle about five to six feet across. For 100 chicks make a circle seven to eight feet across. Geese should be raised separately from chicks and turkeys.

DRAFT SHIELD: Cardboard placed in a circle about 12 inches high around the chicks helps cut down drafts on the floor. Be sure the circle is large enough to allow the chicks to get away from the heat if it desires.

LITTER: Large pine shavings make a good litter. Do not use small shavings, cedar shavings, sand or sawdust because baby chicks learning to eat will ingest them and possibly die. Rice hulls, straw or hay also make good bedding. Put the litter all over the floor at least one to two inches thick. On concrete floors use three to five inches of bedding. Puppy pads work well also.

www.amberwaves.info/ 14 PICKING: It is very common for birds to use their beak to groom or pick themselves. The new feathers growing in are brushed with their beak and the gland above the tail provides the necessary oil. New feathers are filled with blood and if they are pulled out the resulting spill will attract other birds to pick at the area. Baby chicks will often pick each other if they are too hot, crowded or without fresh air. Occasionally bright lights also cause them to pick each other and changing to red light may help.

However, sometimes they pick for no apparent reason. To stop it try putting in fresh green grass clippings several times a day and darken the room. Chunks of grass sod can also be set around for the chicks to pick at. As a last resort, try cutting off about one-third of the top beak with a very sharp knife or razor blade. Cut from top to bottom straight down. Be careful not to crush the beak by pushing too hard on the knife or razor blade.

Do not cut the lower beak, just the top one. Birds picking each other can also be caused by stress from having lights on 24 hours a day. Remove the light at noon after the birds no longer require heat. As it become dark earlier in fall and winter, the birds will automatically lie down by each other to sleep. Try not to disturb them during this time because it could make them pile up on each other and smother. It is common for them to lay part of their body across each other, you just don’t want them two to three birds deep. To treat chick that have been picked, smear pine tar or menthol flavored ointment on the injured area and continue to treat until healed.

AFTER FOUR WEEKS: 1. Increase floor area to three-quarters square foot per chick. 2. Increase feeders to provide two and one-half to three inches of space per chick. 3. Increase waterers to one five gallon fount per 100 chicks. 4. Install roosts at the back of brooder area. Allow four inches per bird with roost poles six inches apart. 5. Open windows in day-time. Leave only partly open at night. 6. Prevent water puddles around founts. Place founts on low wire platform. 7. Chicks can range outside on warm, sunny days, but only if clean range is available.

www.amberwaves.info/ 15 SPECIAL SITUATIONS AFTER CHICKS ARRIVE: If the chicks had a hard trip, instead of using the standard feed and water suggestions listed above, put two tablespoons of sugar in one quart of 100 degree water and shake well. Add a little of this water mixture to a small amount of feed, stir and sprinkle it around the chicks.

Mix only right before you are ready to feed. Do a small amount at a time. As they eat it, mix some more and sprinkle it around them to get their attention. Never leave this mixture for more that a couple hours: it will sour and cause illness.

Rear end “pasting up” Sometimes the stress of shipping causes manure to stick to the back of the chick. It is important to remove this daily. Pull off gently or, better yet, wash off with a cloth and warm water. It will disappear in a few days as the chick starts to grow. If chicks appear droopy add a sulfa type drug to their drinking water as directed on the package.

SAFE HANDLING OF POULTRY: Live animals and pets can be a source of potentially harmful micro-organisms; therefore, precautions must be taken when handling and caring for them to prevent fecal/oral transmission among people.

Children should be supervised as they handle animals and pets to make sure they don’t put their hands or fingers in their mouth. Always wash your hands with soap and warm water after handling any animal or pet.

For information and free materials contact: United Stated Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov.

www.amberwaves.info/ 16 Male Silkie Chicks

Male chicks are usually free to good homes. You can buy them (free) on our sales page here when available. https://silkiesforsale-com.3dcartstores.com/

Vaccinations

Chicks hve been vaccinated for Mareks unless otherwise specified.

Note with Fowl Pox Vaccination after they receive their first vaccination is recommended that you revaccinate them in 12 weeks.

Just because a bird is vaccinated it does not mean it will get sick vaccines can fail. A vaccine failure is when an organism develops a disease despite being vaccinated against it. Primary vaccine failure occurs when an organism’s immune system does not produce antibodies when first vaccinated. Vaccines can fail when several series are give and fail to produce an immune response. Vaccine failure - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine_failure

Reputation

Amber Waves is a Registered NPIP member CA-308

We carry a five-star rating with our customers Click Here, Yelp, Google, and are a five-star accredited Better Business Member, and A Verified Member of the Chamber of Commerce. Appointments

Amber Waves is closed on Mondays and some major holidays.

Amber Waves is a private breeder not a hatchery or store.

Visitors and tours - For the time being we are not doing tours. All chicks purchased will be delivered in our driveway. We hope to open for tours in the future.

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