FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

VISITING ALABAMA SILKIES:

Where do we park when we get there?
What time should I get there on a chicken or chick release day?
Do I need an appointment to visit the farm?

SILKIE HATCHING EGGS:

Where can I get the best deal on your hatching eggs?
Can I request colors?
What do I need to hatch silkie eggs?
How do you clean an incubator for first time use?
What temperature and humidity do I set my incubator on?
Why do we ask that you do not candle our eggs?
Why are my remaining eggs clear?
Why didn't my chicks make it out of the egg after it pipped?
Are you still shipping hatching eggs?
Can I cancel my egg order?
How do I use my coupons?
Why do you put the fragile stickers on crooked?
What is the odds of getting a show quality bird?
Why are the hatching eggs marked sold out?
Where are my hatching eggs?
Are my hatching eggs guaranteed?



SILKIE CHICK CARE:

What should I do before I get chicks?
Do you immunize your chicks?
At what ages do I change the chicks food?



SILKIE CHICKEN CARE:

What if I see blood in my chickens stool?
Should I give my chickens electrolytes?
Is apple cider vinegar good for my chickens?
What supplements do you give your chickens?
What do you feed your chickens?
When and how should I give my chickens grit/oyster shells?



FACEBOOK:
I sent you a message on Facebook. Why did you not respond?

FREE PARKING:

We have two drive ways and a large yard to park in. Please do not park anywhere else. If you are not sure where to park please, call us at 256.624.8198 for directions. We try to meet everyone outside when they get here, but during chick release it sometimes becomes very busy and we are unable to do so. As soon as your GPS says (You have reached your destination) you are here. Pull in right after banner and no farther then the mailbox.The street can become dangerous with people just pulling over to the side of the road throughout the neighborhood and we want everyone to be safe. Thank you.

RELEASE DAY:

When there is a release day for chickens or chicks it is first come, first serve. Only you control your chances at getting some of our silkies. Some people show up very early even the day before in some cases. The first person through the door can say the magic words... I want them all and they will all be theirs. That is a fact and that will never change. If you think getting here a little early betters your chances then that is the time you choose to be here. Others may not think that way and come with a well thought out plan to get them some silkies. Do not be the person who complains online or writes a review without so much as stepping a toe on the property because they slept in a cozy bed while others slept in their vehicles. Plan your trip well and then execute that plan. That is the only way to guarantee you will Silkie Silkie Silkie back home with a box of beautiful silkies and not just the sad memories of people beating you to them.

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY:

Yes, you need an appointment to visit the farm with the exception of an advertised chicken or chick release then it is first come, first serve. Good luck.

THE BEST DEAL ON EGGS:

Buying eggs straight from our show room is the best possible option and the most economical.

After all, you do avoid the USPS shipping rates along with any of the loss due to postal mishaps. This is by far your best option.

NOTE: You still have to go through queue line. So, call us at (256) 624-8198 to setup an appointment.

Ordering them from our website will also save you some cash. And we always toss in some extra eggs for our website customers.

MERCARI AND EBAY ARE NO LONGER PART OF OUR NETWORK

We do not currently sell eggs anywhere else. Do not be fooled by places using similar names to ours.

There is only one World Famous, Alabama Silkies.

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HATCHING EGG MARKED SOLD OUT:

When the hatching eggs are marked sold out it means that the wait time is over 30 days.

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HATCHING EGG SHIPPING DATES:

Hatching eggs ship out Monday-Wednesday 3 times a day.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday are reserved for pickups in our showroom when they are in stock.



PLEASE NOTE THAT WE CAN NOT CONTROL THE USPS DELIVERY TIMES OR BE HELD RESPOSIBLE FOR THEIR FAILURES. WE PAY FOR PRIORITY SHIPPING, BUT THEIR PRIORITIES DIFFER FROM OURS. BUYER BEWARE.







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FACEBOOK QUESTIONS:

If you have contacted us on Facebook and did not get a reply, it is not because we are ignoring you. We just no longer trust them to keep your personal data secure due to their inability to maintain their site from hackers or the third party companies they sell your information to.

To date over 9,000 of our Facebook customers have left the social networking platform for this and many other reasons.

The best way to respond to a post by us there is to call 256.624.8198 like all post say.

This is for your own protection.

THINGS NEEDED TO HATCH SILKIE EGGS:

You need to know your equipment's abilities.

How often you need to add water, where to add the water and what time to add water to certain places.

All this information should be in your owners manual.

How to turn on/off auto tuners. And remove them if necessary.

How to adjust temperature/humidity.

1) Your Incubator should have the following things.
A) Forced air system. (still air works but very tricky - Not Recommended)
B) Both temperature and humidity gauges. And the ability to change the settings.
C) Auto turner. ( Do not try to hatch silkies without this.)

2) Distilled water

3) Eggs

4) Patience

We give you a copy of the hatching instructions. All you have to do is follow them.

ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE NOTE THAT WE CAN NOT CONTROL THE USPS DELIVERY TIMES OR BE HELD RESPOSIBLE FOR THEIR FAILURES. WE PAY FOR PRIORITY SHIPPING, BUT THEIR PRIORITIES DIFFER FROM OURS. BUYER BEWARE. NO REFUNDS.







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BEFORE YOU MAKE THE TRIP:

Turn on the heat lamp before you leave the house to pick up the chicks so the brooder is up to temperature when you return.

Fill the feeder with chick feed and fill the waterer with water so it can warm up room temperature by the time you get back.

Have a thermometer attached to one wall of the brooder so you can regulate the temperature by adjusting the height of the light, but the best way is to watch your chicks to be sure they are comfortable.

Cold chicks chirp loudly and pile up under the light.

Chicks that are too warm will hold their wings out, pant and stay in the far corners of the box.

Comfortable chicks will move happily around the box, chirping contentedly.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Once you get home with your box of chicks, check each chick one by one for 'pasty butt' and clean off any poop on their vent with a q-tip moistened with warm water or vegetable oil. Pasty butt literally stops up the chick so they can't excrete their poop and can be potentially fatal. It can be caused by stress or extreme temperature changes often endured during the travel from Alabama Silkies to their forever home.(Continue to check butts for the first few days.)

Dip each chick's beak into the sugar water (1/2 tablespoons of table sugar to each quart of water) as you take them out of the shipping box and make sure each takes a drink before setting them in the brooder to explore and rest from their trip.

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ELECTROLYTES:

Electrolytes replace sodium, potassium, and other minerals in the birds when they overheat enough to cause dehydration or diarrhea. If your chickens suffer from heat exhaustion due to shipping,travel stress, or in case of attack from a predator. Electrolytes may be just the thing to return them back to normal.

MIXTURE: (ADD TO 1 (ONE) GALLON OF WATER) 1/4 TEASPOON MORTON SALT SUBSTITUTE (POTASSIUM) 1/2 TEASPOON IODIZED SALT (SODIUM - IODINE) 1/4 CUP SUGAR (GLUCOSE) 1 TEASPOON ARM & HAMMER BAKING SODA (SODIUM-BICARBONATE)

Dilute 1:4 ratio for chicks by pouring a quart of mixture into a separate gallon jug and filling it the rest of the way up with clean fresh water.

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IF YOU SEE BLOOD IN STOOL:

Quarantine any affected birds immediately and consult a veterinarian.

Most likely your chicken has Coccidiosis.

Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease of the intestinal tract of animals caused by coccidian protozoa. The disease spreads from one animal to another by contact with infected feces or ingestion of infected tissue. Diarrhea, which may become bloody in severe cases, is the primary symptom.

Coccidiosis is the number one cause of death in chicks, so as an added precaution you can feed the medicated feed to new chicks. The good news is, if it is caught early and treated quickly, the birds will survive.

TREATMENT FOR COCCIDIOSIS

CORID (AMPROLIUM 9.6%): MIXTURE: 9.5 mL PER GALLON OF WATER DIET: 5 (FIVE) DAYS A MONTH

NOTE: YOU CAN STILL EAT THE EGGS

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APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Apple cider vinegar can be used to treat young birds that show non-typical disease symptoms of poor growth. The solution can also be given to birds suffering from respiratory diseases that produce a large amount of mucus exudate. This solution will help "cut through" the mucus and allow it to be expelled easier.

The tannin in the apple cider vinegar aide in removing any mucus or coating from the mouth, throat, or intestinal tract. Nutrients and drugs are more readily absorbed. Offer this solution as the only drinking water source for two to three day intervals.

MIXTURE: ADD 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (with mothers) to a gallon of clean water.
NOTE: DO NOT USE IN METAL DRINKERS

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VITAMIN AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS

Vitamin A Supplement
Vitamin D Supplement
Vitamin E Supplement
Vitamin B12 Supplement
Vitamin D3 Supplement
Calcium (via oyster shells)
Grit (via granite)
Selenium (tiny amounts)

SNACKS

Cucumbers
Mealworms
Carrots (ground)
Watermelon
Tomatoes

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OUR ADULT FEED RECIPE

WE USE PURINA ORGANIC CHICKEN FOOD

COMBINE:

5 lbs 18-23% protein Chicken laying crumbles
Catfish food 39% protein (8 cups ground ground fine)
Oregano (3 table spoons)
Parsley (3 table spoons)
Thyme (1 packet or 14 grams)
Ground Cloves (1 table spoon)
Ground Sage rubbed (1/2 bottle or 7 grams)
*Cayenne pepper (4 table spoon)
(*optional to encorage laying)

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CLEANING INCUBATOR INSTRUCTIONS:

One of the biggest mistakes made while incubating hatching eggs is not properly cleaning or setting up your incubator for (first time/next time) use.

Brand new equipment may seem clean, but there are a lot of things that are going to happen when you turn on your incubator for the first time.

1: The coils may have had a product to keep them from rusting on the shelf placed on them.

2: The electronics are going to "burn in." This is probably the first time they have ever had power to them and the "wafer boards AKA substrates" (The thin slices of highly pure crystalline Silicon used in the production of integrated circuits) and solder connections are going to heat up and release gases. You have probably smelled this many times when using brand new electronics for the first time.

All of those toxic agents are going to be in the very water you are supplying the embryos. (NO BUENO/NOT GOOD)

LETS FIX THAT!!

STEP 1: Turn on your incubator for 12 hours without any distilled water in it and then turn off and let cool.

STEP 2: Fill all water reservoirs half way up and turn on incubator and let it run about an hour. This should gather most of the toxins and place them into the reservoirs.

STEP 3: Turn off incubator, drain water and clean with a damp (slightly wet) towel using the mixture below.

Mixture: Chlorine Dilution 10 ppm:
Ratio: 1/8 tablespoon of bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite) to 1 gallon of cool water.
(NOTE:1/8 tablespoon = 0.8 millilitres or16 drops.)

Important mixing instructions:
Never mix acid products, or any other cleaning supplies with bleach or bleach-containing products.

WARNING:
Mixing bleach and acid generates a very toxic chlorine gas. Always add the bleach solution to the water when preparing the solution, not vice versa.

Follow manufacturers safety instructions on the product label and always use safety precautions by using personal protective equipment, including protective clothing, gloves and safety goggles.

STEP 4: Wipe everything of with clean dry cloth and you are now ready for first (time/next time) use.


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HATCHING INSTRUCTIONS:

ALABAMASILKIES.COM SILKIE HATCHING EGG INSTRUCTIONS: DO NOT WASH, WRITE OR HATCH OUR EGGS WITH OTHER BREEDS.
THEY HAVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SETTINGS AND TECHNIQUES TO PROPERLY PRODUCE HEALTHY CHICKS.
CALL US AT 256.624.8198 IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME TO HATCH THESE TYPE OF EGGS. PLEASE DO THIS NOW.

STEP 1:
Gently unwrap and then replace your eggs into the provided egg cartons pointed side down to let settle for 6-12 hours.
Most incubators also require that you incubate them pointed side down for the best results. (consult your manual)

STEP 2:
Be sure that you have filled the correct reservoirs to the proper levels for the incubation process.
Do not be in Hatching Mode. (consult your manual)
USE DISTILLED WATER IN YOUR INCUBATOR

STEP 3:
Have your incubator's internal temperature at 99.5F (37.7C) with the humidity at (60%) before putting in any eggs.
This is the temperature and humidity range that must be maintained for the next 18 days to properly hatch healthy chicks.
DO NOT OPEN INCUBATOR TO CANDLE THE EGGS.

98.5F (36.9) - 102 F (38.8) degrees @ 50-65% humidity is the safe zone for the incubation process.
Anything outside of this for more than two minutes can cause retardation, birth defects or even death later on in development.

NOTE: Still air incubators should be 101.2F (38.4C) at the top of the egg and these incubators are very tricky to use on this type of eggs.
We do not recommend using these types of incubators or incubators without self turners.

STEP 4:
ON DAY NINETEEN (19): TURN OFF/REMOVE EGG TURNERS. (THIS IS LOCKDOWN)
Place the incubator into Hatching Mode by reducing the incubator's internal temperature to 99.1F (37.2C) degrees and increase the humidity to (62-65%).
You should now fill all the reservoirs to the proper levels to obtain this. Do not close your vents. They must all be open at this point. (consult your manual)

Your Alabama Silkies should start hatching in a couple days if the proper settings were maintained.

Please call us at 256.624.8198 if you have any questions.

TIPS:
KEEP YOUR NEW SILKIE CHICKS AT (95F or 35C) FOR THE FIRST WEEK.

OUR COMPLETE TEMPERATURE CHART:




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HOW TO REQUEST COLORS:

We sell our eggs in variety packs most commonly as they are gathered many times a day (about every 40 minutes) and at one point are in a dark room being pre-candled to check for any imperfections.

You may request colors by calling us at 256.624.8198 before you place an order to check for availability. There may be an upcharge for this service and starter packs are not eligible.

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DO NOT CANDLE EGGS:

The reason we recommend that you do not candle your eggs during hatching is that the eggs are very fragile, a lot more than others as they are very small, and the show birds tend to be even smaller yet.

There are no real benefits to candling the eggs. It only give you false hope as you never count your chickens until they've hatched.

All eggs are freshly laid and pre-candled before shipping to check for any flaws. That is why they always look so good. And why we get some of the best results in the business.

The best time to candle the remaining eggs is on day 23 to see what happened if anything did.

Our eggs are NOT going to blow up in your incubator. We have not ever had an egg blow up.

You would have had to really mess something up to make an egg explode.

Start off with a clean incubator with the proper settings, fresh distilled water, and you'll do great.

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CLEAR EGGS THAT DO NOT HATCH:

If you see a clear egg or have an egg that did not hatch it does not mean it was not fertile. It simply means something went wrong.

Not all fertile eggs hatch. Especially, through the mail. Please do not expect mail order eggs to hatch at 100%. Though it does happen, it is extremely rare.

We do like to give extra eggs in hopes to countering the mailing process. And buying 6 eggs from us and getting 8 to10 chicks is the best form of free advertising we can ever get.

We check fertility almost every day and have never found an infertile egg.

It is basically impossible as our birds want to be together, and chickens only need to be bred once every 14-20 days. And ours are bred multiple times a day.

The roosters love to spread their love around.

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PIPPED EGGS THAT DO NOT HATCH:

If chick embryos develop to the pipping stage, or at first shell cracking at hatching, they are normally healthy enough to hatch unless some incubator adjustment prevents it from happening. The problem is usually caused by either 1) poor ventilation or 2) improper humidity.

The air exchange requirement within an incubator is greatest during the last day of incubation. The chick embryo's oxygen requirement continually increases during development and especially when breathing using the respiratory system just before hatching. The vent openings are frequently restricted at this time in an attempt to boost incubator humidity. Instead of helping the chick hatch, the chick is suffocated from lack of ventilation. Never decrease ventilation openings at hatching in an attempt to increase humidity. Increase humidity by other methods. If any vent adjustments are made, they should be opened more.

Another reason for mortality during hatching is improper humidity adjustment. The deaths can be produced from too much humidity during the entire incubation period or from too little humidity during the hatching period.

The desired egg weight loss during incubation caused by water evaporation is about 12 percent. If humidity during incubation is kept too high, adequate water evaporation from the egg is prevented. The chick can drown in the water remaining in the shell at hatching. A dried coating around the chick's nostrils and beak indicates that drowning was likely. Attention to maintaining proper incubation humidity during incubation will reduce the potential for this problem at hatching time.

If the humidity is allowed to decrease after the chick pips the shell, the membranes within the shell can dry-out and stick to the chick. This prevents the chick from turning inside the shell and stops the hatching process. The chick eventually dies. If the membranes around the shell opening appear dried and shrunken, the cause is probably low humidity during hatching. This condition can occur quickly (within 1 or 2 minutes) when the incubator is opened to remove or assist other chicks that are hatching. When hatching begins and proper incubator conditions are attained, the incubator should never be opened until after all chicks are hatched and ready for placement in the brooder.

Original Source: MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY (http://extension.msstate.edu/content/pipped-eggs-do-not-hatch)

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USING OYSTER SHELLS AND GRIT:

The eggshells of chickens are mainly calcium carbonate so, you must supply something like oyster shells to ensure they have sufficient calcium in their bodies to produce viable eggs.

Other types of grit like granite also help break up the food. Both these things are essential to healthy diets so, they can lay good eggs.

If sufficient calcium level are not maintained, hens can lay soft or poor quality shelled eggs. Natural sunlight and D3 vitamins can also help egg production, but can not sustain a chicken's needs.

We provide our adult hens both shells and grit in separate containers to eat as needed.




This practice has helped us to keep our silkies laying the beautiful eggs people are accustomed to.

Chicks should start getting chick grit around age 6 weeks and full size grit at 8 weeks old.

Oyster shells are provided when they are ready to start laying eggs or around 24-27 weeks.

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ORDER CANCELLATION INSTRUCTIONS:

As of January, 01, 2020 you may cancel your egg order by simply calling us at 256.624.8198 during regular business hours, but there may be some serious ramifications...

Your dogs could have kittens..Your cats might have puppies..Your tree will most likely catch flees requiring their leaves to be treated for a certain need that can only be delt with by a professional botanist.

Seriously, there is just a $10.00 charge per order for us to break the bad news to the chickens.

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STICKER PLACEMENT:

Our stickers are always put on crooked to make them stick out and catches the eye of the postal employees.

Now, does it help? We'd like to think so, but who really knows.

I can only tell you that they will always be done this way in hopes that it does.




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COUPON POLICY:

As of January 01, 2020 all coupons must be pre-authorized by calling us at (256) 624-8198

They are now only valid for purchases on our website or in our showroom and must be stamped / numbered by Alabama Silkies.

This policy change had to be made to combat "clickbait" coupon websites offering fake discounts to their visitors just to get them there.

"This is why we can't have nice stuff." -DAD



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CHICK IMMUNIZATIONS:

When our chicks hatch they are washed, fluffed, have their gut treated with probiotics, and given their first run of essential vitamins after they recover on a glucose added water solution.

All the chicks hatched in the hatchery are immunized for the highly contagious viral neoplastic disease Marek's disease.



We also treat all our chicks for the common, and sometimes deadly, parasitic disease Coccidiosis by providing medicated chick starter food for the first two weeks of their life.

The chick's feed schedule is as such...

QUICK GUIDE TO SILKIE CHICK FOOD CHANGEOVERS

MEDICATED FOOD: (Up to a 4 weeks old)

2 to 3 weeks is plenty of time to treat for coccidiosis.

NOTE: Amprolium blocks vitamin absorbsion and can lead to wry neck and other health issuses because a compramised immune system. It will also block vaccinations for cocciotios so, it should not be used with cocciotios vaccinated birds.

This is a good time to get the birds probiotics and vitamins.

UNMEDICATED FOOD:(Up to 6 weeks old)

When you take the chicks off of medicated food change over to unmedicated for an additional 3 weeks.

CHICK STARTER/GROWER: (For 20+ weeks old)

After a couple weeks on grower (8 weeks old) your little chicks should be able to start having small treats and be exposed to grass, and the things that might be in it like dandelions and clover.

NOTE: Be sure that you have supplied chick grit before exposing your chicks to outside sources of food as they will need it to process them.

LAYER FEED: (When they are ready)

Only adult chickens should be on layer feed. You will notice signs of them scouting places to lay and the rooster starting to look at them a little differently when they have become of age.

This is a good time to upgrade the grit to full size and start including oyster shells.

Larger snacks can also be giving such as watermelon, cucumbers or anything else safe for chickens.

Always check with your Veterinarian to see if a certain food is safe for your chickens.

DO NOT TRUST BLOGS.

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SHOW QUALITY ODDS:

Our birds are from the finest stock around the country so, the odds are good at getting a show quality bird if the eggs come from a standard coop.

Splits tend to have flaws come out at a larger rate. It just happens with them. Though it does happen with standards as well. (about 1 in 200) When rolling the dice with these hybrids to get that one of a kind bird is well worth the extra effort because, when they hit, the clouds part and you truly have an amazing bird that everyone wants. These are the birds most people want from us. That awesome bird that nobody else has.

The odds of getting a show quality bird with a batch of eggs is some what rare but, to standard of 1 in 50 to 1 in 75 depending on the color and type.

Say your prayers and eat all your vegetables, and hopefully you end up in the winners circle. Our silkies are no different from anyone elses, they have flaws from time to time. If you are expecting flawless birds then you have not done enough research of the breed and may want to hold off getting into silkies until we talk at 256.624.8198.



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I PLACED MY ORDER. WHERE ARE MY EGGS?:

Alabama Silkies uses a queue line system to determine where the eggs that have been collected and deemed fit for sale by our inspectors. Nobody knows when you will receive your eggs. The website shows the best guess when you order them. Calling, texting or emailing to ask when this will happen will only slow down the process for you and everyone else in the queue as the person answering the phone most likely just stopped filling orders to tell you that they don't know as it is controlled by a computer and they only have access to the current queue sheet.

We are not going to rush orders. Following the steps put in place to make this happen has worked very well for the customers around the world and we are not going to change things now.



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ARE MY HATCHING EGGS GUARANTEED?:

Unfortunately, No part of your hatching eggs purchase is guaranteed besides us actually getting the eggs from our chickens to you to place in an incubator. The time you'll get them, the rate that they hatch at or the colors you receive are not guaranteed. It is impossible for us to guarantee these things as we cant control the USPS, the genetics of the hybrid crosses or a customers hatching skills using their equipment. You can follow every word to the letter in the instructions provided, but things still could have went wrong without any knowledge of it. For example, the USPS could have did a lousy job getting them from point A to B. We do ship priority mail, but that word may not mean the same thing to them as it does to us. The equipment could have went out of bounds for a couple minutes. This will definitely cause things to go sideways. Sometimes an egg will just refuse to wake up. This could be caused by many things out of our control.

We try our very best to get you great eggs as soon as possible. That you can count on, but please dont think you have a money back guarantee if things go wrong. Coming here to the farm like many others have from all over the world will definitely increase the odds as you know exactly how A to B went, but there as still many other factors that still could have cause something to go wrong. There is just no way to guarantee your results.

**I WILL ALWAYS ADD TO THIS FAQ PAGE WHEN TIME PERMITS**

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