Silkie thread! - Page 2063

From what I have learned through all of you wonderful silkie lovers, it's tough to know the true quality of a bird until it grows up.  I see that some of you have "pet quality" chicks, what characteristics would automatically categorize them as being "pet quality"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adoravachick 

I love how fast this board moves! Just wanted to let ya'll know that my chicks are pipping, 4 so far.  I am hoping that they will wait to hatch until morning so my daughter can see her babies hatch.  I will post pics once they hatch and dry.

 Chances are if they're only pipping they'll wait until morning so your daughter can see them hatch   Sometimes it takes quite awhile for them to hatch after they've pipped.

My daughter got to watch her first chick hatch in the incubator this Spring, I loved it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by cindersga 

As I type I think my black 2 month old silkie "Darkness" is dying.  I have let them out during the day in the back yard and they have had a fun time chasing bugs.  Today though when I brought them into the house he/she was looking at me with his head upside down.  I thought it was strange but he is curious.  My husband said something about his head being cranked around and then we both noticed him acting weird in the cage.  He can't stand and he can't keep his head upright.  Could he have gotten bit by a spider or something?  We don't use pesticides so he couldn't of gotten poisoned.  I am so upset.  I have two white ones and he was my only black.  If he passes I want to replace him with a pullet that is 2months old.  Do you have any you sell at that age and how much?  I live in GA.  Thanks

 

Cindy 

I am dealing with this right now too.  Apparantly from much research and questions It is either a brain injury or a vitamin deficiency of some kind.  It started last week for me.  I gave mine poly vitamins from rite aid.  It is an infant liquid vitamin dropper.  I give mine two drops twice a day.  He is still doing it but less frequently and less seizureish.  It seems to be working.  Another lady on here told me it took two weeks for it to act normal again.  I also give him and his sibling a scrambled egg with a vitamin e capsules broken and drizzled all over it every other day.  Good luck. Also it helps if you seperate it and try not to stress it out because it seems to happen more when they are bothered or stressed.  Hope this helps.  I was stressing bad last week but with a little progress I am hopeful and not worrying so much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshU 

I am dealing with this right now too.  Apparantly from much research and questions It is either a brain injury or a vitamin deficiency of some kind.  It started last week for me.  I gave mine poly vitamins from rite aid.  It is an infant liquid vitamin dropper.  I give mine two drops twice a day.  He is still doing it but less frequently and less seizureish.  It seems to be working.  Another lady on here told me it took two weeks for it to act normal again.  I also give him and his sibling a scrambled egg with a vitamin e capsules broken and drizzled all over it every other day.  Good luck. Also it helps if you seperate it and try not to stress it out because it seems to happen more when they are bothered or stressed.  Hope this helps.  I was stressing bad last week but with a little progress I am hopeful and not worrying so much.

OH!  I might actually be able to help here.  The breeder I got my birds from mentioned that this can be caused from a Selenuim deficiency.  She had a bird with this last time I was at her house.  She gave her selenium and within a week she was mostly back to normal.  I hope thats all it is.

This thread might help too: http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/97121/lets-talk-wry-neck-crook-neck  I beleive the condition is called wry neck.

I hope it won't be too late for me to get to the store tomorrow for some vitamins.  I gave it some Durvet Vitamins and Electrolytes in a dropper that I had.  I also took him out of the cage and put him in a box with a towel and a towel over the top to create some darkness hoping it would sooth it.  I can't believe all the junk that happens to chickens, all the stuff that can go wrong!  Whew I just don't know about this...it's stressful to me :~/ LOL

I will thanks for reminding me!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adoravachick 

From what I have learned through all of you wonderful silkie lovers, it's tough to know the true quality of a bird until it grows up.  I see that some of you have "pet quality" chicks, what characteristics would automatically categorize them as being "pet quality"?

Probably the biggest one - incorrect number of toes. Also, eye colour, skin colour, and, perhaps comb and wings (which might be harder to truly judge until they are older.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adoravachick 

I love how fast this board moves! Just wanted to let ya'll know that my chicks are pipping, 4 so far.  I am hoping that they will wait to hatch until morning so my daughter can see her babies hatch.  I will post pics once they hatch and dry.

Congrats on the pips!  When mine pip, I swear I have another 6-8 hours before they start to zip.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adoravachick 

From what I have learned through all of you wonderful silkie lovers, it's tough to know the true quality of a bird until it grows up.  I see that some of you have "pet quality" chicks, what characteristics would automatically categorize them as being "pet quality"?

I know right away if I have a pet quality chick at hatch if they have the wrong number of toes, or if the toes are fused, or in some other way, the toes are mutated-- like brachydactyly which I have had happen.  I'm watching that chick grow out a bit, but I don't plan to use it in my breeding.  The others when they get a bit older, then I start checking their wings, eyes and combs-- but they need to be around 4 months + to really see the color of those.  You need to wait until they are mature to get a really good idea of what they are going to look like.  I bought a cockerel last year that I thought was just okay, he had all the right coloring, toes, etc...  The breeder shipped him to me as a "breeder quality".  I got him when he was 5 months old.  Since then, he has filled out incredibly and I've used him to show as well.  He has the perfect type now, that he didn't have when he was 5 months old.  So some of these things you can't tell before they have really filled in and matured.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarnGoddess01 

 

Probably the biggest one - incorrect number of toes. Also, eye colour, skin colour, and, perhaps comb and wings (which might be harder to truly judge until they are older.)

X2.  :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by peepblessed 

 Yes, looks bearded to me. Your little "boy" is at a rough age. He will be much prettier soon!

Thanks.  Yes, I feel a tad guilty posting pretty well the ugliest pictures I have of him/her!   He/she is really sweet actually [of course] and runs to my hand when I put it in their enclosure.  He/she leans his/her little chest into my palm to be picked up and is so relaxed.  Loves to be held and petted.  Little sweetie.

So, here he/she is in a cuter picture.  :)   Thanks for all your help.  Can't wait for his/her head and neck to fluff out more. 

[PS--regarding sex, the beak angle looks female, and the chick walks 90% low in the chest.  The below pix is an oddity-- standing a bit upright (something startled him/her hence my being able to take a clear photo!).  Recently however, he/she got a bump on the middle of his/ her comb area which might signal male. ? I remember recently someone spoke of females having the little round bump there, not wide, but bumped out.  ???  Any guesses???  :) ]