StardustChicken
Songster
In early June I got a group of 20 silkie chicks. At about a week old they contracted a particularly aggressive strain of fowl pox that ended up having a 55% mortality rate. I still have 2 of the remaining 9 chicks. They appear to have stunted growth.
(White female = Creampuff, buff male = Big Cheese) Picture (taken Oct 3) of Creampuff at almost 4 months old/15 weeks. At the time both of them were the same size. Recently Cremepuff has been putting on weight and plumage, she's probably about 40%-50% bigger than Big Cheese at 19 weeks old (5 months on Nov 3). He is still the size of a 2 month old and has pitiful whispy fluff.
Here they are today (and a showgirl silkie that's half their age behind them). This week we'll be getting colder weather, dipping to 32°F (instead of the 60s).
Creampuff is a favorite of mine and I'm rather paranoid if these runts will be able to able to tolerate the colder weather. Might supplemental heat be a good idea? Last year the coldest it got was 6°F
(White female = Creampuff, buff male = Big Cheese) Picture (taken Oct 3) of Creampuff at almost 4 months old/15 weeks. At the time both of them were the same size. Recently Cremepuff has been putting on weight and plumage, she's probably about 40%-50% bigger than Big Cheese at 19 weeks old (5 months on Nov 3). He is still the size of a 2 month old and has pitiful whispy fluff.
Here they are today (and a showgirl silkie that's half their age behind them). This week we'll be getting colder weather, dipping to 32°F (instead of the 60s).
Creampuff is a favorite of mine and I'm rather paranoid if these runts will be able to able to tolerate the colder weather. Might supplemental heat be a good idea? Last year the coldest it got was 6°F