Wow!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!!!! Awesome!!
There is peeping in the bator.....
Good Lord, I find myself holding my breath just reading this stuff. Whew! What have I gotten myself into. I never felt this anxious even when dating...LOL. I know you thought I could not remember that far back.
Right on ZZ's we were on the same page...LOL Great hatch Smedge, so happy for you. Hay
Wonderful Smedge!! So glad for you!!
Smedge I hope you can get pics soon! That was a great save! :)
Haystack you are too funny.
I'll get pictures today and post them. So far all are doing well even little #2, it is up and wondering with the rest of them.
Out of the hatch we got 1 gray with a vaulted skull, it has some lighter gray on the underside. 2 naked neck white, and 2 white (without naked necks), one with a vaulted skull. I wish the other 7 eggs would have hatched as well but I'm glad we at least got these little beauties.
Thanks everyone for "sitting on the edge of your seats" and "holding your breath" with me as we waited and for the advice on #2. So glad it made it.
Congrats on all the chicks! Was keeping my fingers crossed for #2. What is a vaulted skull?
Yes, #1 and #2 had vaulted skulls. They are all so cute this morning, nice and fluffy and oh sooo soft!
Yeah, I just figured out my problem, I also have a vaulted skull. I just knew some day I'd figure it out... Whew it feels so good to breath normal again. No more hatches for a couple days pleeeeeese. I need some R&R time...Hay
Well...then you need to wear your hair in a really fluffy top-knot. ;)
I started another thread with pictures.
LoreenH--here is an article on "vaulted skulls". It is thought to improve the appearance of the crest...but it is a little controversial.
Some breeders think it makes the Silkie vulnerable to brain injuries. But that may just be because it looks like it might. Most of the neurological problems I've seen in Silkies seems more nutritional.
http://www.hattricksilkies.net/articles_vaulted_skull.html
And here is a diagram of what a vaulted skull looks like. Sort of scary....(by the way this is really interesting site for colour genetics).
http://sites.google.com/site/zijdehoenders/breeding(knowledge)
The link doesn't work for me.. says the page wasn't found
Same for me.
For some reason I can't send the http--although it works perfectly on both my work and home computer. I'll try to show the picture..although the information on breeding Silkies for colour is very interesting.
I don't think this is actually a chicken skull...but it does illustrate the form of a vaulted skull.
We found one yesterday of the vaulted skull. My son was worried that it may not be normal. I told him I had seen it on here where someone posted a Silkie with a vaulted skull. So, we spent a while searching through all the posts trying to find the post I saw. We finally found one post with one picture but I don't think it was the post I was thinking of. Anyway we also found a diagram similar to the one Catscan has but I think it really was a chicken skull.
Very strange looking and the chicks really look funny when they first hatch with that big ole knot on their head. They don't look so bad after they fluff up.
Im so glad your number 2 chick finally made it out! and it sounds like you have some adrible babies.CONGRATS!
I'm so glad it made it out too, what a relief!