Silkie thread! - Page 1676

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye95 

 

OKay, so I wouldn't worry too much, but definitely keep an eye on it.  Is it eating and drinking well?  Make sure it's not getting too hot, too.  There is something that is stressing it... so see if you can figure out what that might be.  Otherwise, it should go away in a day or two.  Be sure it's not getting picked on, too.

 

it has been getting hot in brooder so tommorow im gina lower the heat and see if that helps 

Better pics,waht color would you call me

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye95 

No idea!  It will be interesting to see what others say!  I don't personally think it looks like a typical partridge coloring.  Maybe a mix??  Hey, I could be wrong, I'm not polished up on what all partridge can look like.  Kind of looks like it has baring in the feathers, too??

Love the look on your little girl's face....precious. And your little boy is a doll too - looks like a real stinker!

Great pics!
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by mama2my4 

Humor me, y'all! We took our chicks out for the first time today. Ages 2-6 weeks....

 

My 5 year old with "princess". Silkies were her idea. 

 

 

My 8 year old with his favorite "Yang"

 

 

Yang and Yin - these are my two solids from paint. 

 

 

The babies all tuckered out. This is Bacon and Princess

 

How did I not find silkies sooner? We are so in love with their little selves!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by henney penny 

Better pics,waht color would you call me

 

Silver/ grey partridge with autosomal red leakage. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by sager:)silkies 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye95 

Pasty butt-- I just pluck off the poop.  It will take off fluff and feathers-- which is just as well if they have it.  Then there won't be anything to stick onto next time.  I never wash their butts-- just pluck off the piece.  Yeah, they do a bit of a screech, but like 2 seconds later they are all fine and running around again.

thats what i did it worked for couple days and know its back 

I use a tiny bit of water to soften the poop and clean it that way. I warm my hands first and cradle the chick in my left hand (I'm right handed) with their legs between my fingers and work away slowly over the sink with warm water and my finger tips to soften and remove the plug. Plucking the poop is risky because you can tear their tender skin and cause bleeding which is NOT a good thing. Especially if they are having trouble with pasty butt. Even worse if you tear their tiny vent.

My batch struggled with pasty butt for longer than I've ever seen before this year too (multiple chicks requiring multiple butt washes) but it seems to have quit now thankfully. (Just over a week.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sager:)silkies 

it has been getting hot in brooder so tommorow im gina lower the heat and see if that helps 

 

Lower your heat in the brooder, if your using something solid like a plastic tote add some side ventilation. Also add some grit or sand in their box - definitely helps me with pasty butt. Also add a bit of cooking oil to the butt/vent area of any that have bad pasty butts so its harder for it to stick to the skin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suzierd 

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScaredOfShadows 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suzierd 

I have a few questions, How often if at all do you worm your silkies? What time of year is best to worm them? How old do they need to be? Should you see worms in stool if they have them? Thanks

chickens because they peck the ground for food and foraging, and groom themselves (including their feet which walks in poop, soil, etc) are going to have some level of worms. if you see worms easily in the poop they have a severe infestation of worms. I would avoid worming in the peak of summer because of the stress on the birds with the heat. 

 

I worm atleast twice a year, (though personally I aim for 3 times a year) if you want to do it just twice - I'd aim for spring and fall as those seasons seem to be the worst time for trouble with them. 

 

They should be atleast 12 weeks old, but I tend to wait til atleast 16 weeks (4-5 months) which most of my birds by that point are 4-5 months when I do my late summer/early fall worming. 

Thanks for this info, what do you use and what dose? I have a old Banty that is breathing funny I have never wormed her, but I don't know if it's a respiratory problem or gapeworm? Not sure which to treat for? Can I treat for both at the same time? Does one medicine get all worms?

Funny breathing in an old bird can be caused by MANY things. I have fecal exams done a couple of times a year and don't deworm unless something shows up. I just had to cull an old girl that was "breathing funny" when she was sitting. Her abdomen was swelling (likely either internal laying or cancer). I assume the funny breathing was because her additional weight was putting pressure on her lungs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suzierd 


Thanks for this info, what do you use and what dose? I have a old Banty that is breathing funny I have never wormed her, but I don't know if it's a respiratory problem or gapeworm? Not sure which to treat for? Can I treat for both at the same time? Does one medicine get all worms?

Valbazen is considered the best wormer but it is quite expensive. 

Fenbendazole is just as good, easier to find and use, and cheaper. Fenbendazole - Safeguard dewormer

You can use the paste OR the liquid suspension - I personally prefer the liquid 10% suspension for goats. 1/2 cc per standard 1/4 cc per bantam OR 3 CCs in a gallon of water for 3 days dump and refresh water each morning. Withdrawl is 14 days after last day of treatment.

If you have adult birds that have never been wormed - use wazine 1 ounce to a gallon of water. egg withdrawl 14 days. 

ten days after the wazine treat with the safeguard/fenbendazole - again withdrawl 14 days. so if give precise medication per bird with safeguard your egg withdrawl is 24 days. if you use water worming its 27 days. 

THEN after that FIRST worming you can just use safeguard - as I said steer clear from summer wormings because it can super stress out the birds. I suggest bi-annual worming. (2 times a year spring/fall) OR if your afraid of overworming worm them once a year, anything is better than nothing. 

Also between wormings you can add cayenne pepper to feed and ACV to water a few times a week to help keep the worm load down, Cayenne and ACV DOES NOT kill or expel worms - but after a worming it can make it harder for worms to 'take up residence' in the body and keep that worm load down. 

If you have laying birds you plan to eat eggs from, if you have them in 2 seperate pens your best bet is to worm 1 pen one month and worm the 2nd pen the next month that way your not out of eating eggs. 

What about vinegar?  I've heard that mentioned so many times, I thought for sure you would be mentioning that.  Guess it doesn't get the right kid of worm??

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthia12 

What about vinegar?  I've heard that mentioned so many times, I thought for sure you would be mentioning that.  Guess it doesn't get the right kid of worm??

ACV - apple cider vinegar (organic / unpasteurized )  it is NOT a de-wormer it will not kill worms or expel them. BUT given between wormings in the water 1-2 tablespoons per gallon (only plastic never metal waterer/container) a couple times a week along with Cayenne pepper and or DE mixed in feed can help to keep the worm level down. ACV, DE, and Cayenne all have been thought and found to help keep the levels down by changing the acidity and natural balance in the gut of the chickens, it makes it less inhabitable for the worms to take up residence. but as I said it will NOT kill and expel an infestation.