Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

That sounds like Crest Mites. They stay on the head and face, and will drive a bird crazy. Permethrin will get those too.
Yes, that is exactly what they are. The poor girl looks so miserable. Today I bathed her and with some tweezer I removed as much dead skin I could. She looks better but I am not sure they are all dead. I applied frontline on February 14th and was wondering how long I should wait to apply some more (I know it is usually 3 months, but for a severe case is it the same amount of time?)
 
I have a few silkies that need to be "reconditioned". I heard to add some brewer yeast, cold liver oil and or wheat germ oil to their food. Is there anyone who knows the correct dosage / amount to add to their feed?
 
Ok so now in starting to get paranoid about mites. Is there a good way to prevent getting them? Like using frontline and that dust (don't remember the name)? I only have three girls that literally live miles from the nearest chicken and the only time they see another chicken is at shows.
Twice a year I have the "Big clean out." Everyone goes out of the hen house. I clean everything out of shavings and hay. After sweeping I spray with Permethrin spray from top to bottom, roosts, nesting boxes...everything. Let it dry and spray again. After that I start taking the chickens one by one...worming them and then spray down with the permethrin sray. Then 2 weeks later worm again with Ivermectin pour on. I have been fortunate to not have had a big problem with mites or worms but I take measures to prevent them. I do this in March and August. I sprinkle all the nesting boxes and cage bottoms with Sevin powder as a preventative. I have sand in my runs and sometimes will sprinkle the sevin around a little in between my clean outs.
I think if someone brings a chicken to show with mites should be removed immediately when the judge finds them. When I buy from someone...even reputable breeders (not to be disrespective) I always worm and treat for mites just to be on the safe side and always suggest others to do as well.
Well...that is my 2 cents as to what I do and so far it has worked.
 
You really think so? Even though she was born with partridge markings? I would love it if she was porcelain. What do ya'll think I should mate her with?
hard to say in the indoor light. It would be best if you could get a picture in natural sunlight so there is no foreign coloring on her feathers. She could be self blue or porcelain, but you would really have to see how she feathers in. They can change a lot!
 
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She looks like she could be porcelain to me too - heavy on the lavender which is as it should be. I've had some hatch out with partridge markings. Porcelain, Buff, or lavender would work for breeding. You might want to try Buff or porcelain with this one since it's already pretty creamy looking. Lavender might beget full on lavender which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing either.
 
Great thanks for this...everyone's opinions have been very helpful...I appreciate everyone's experience and knowledge...

I have sand in my coops and runs, shavings in my nesting boxes and silkie 'beds' boxes...I clean everything out every Saturday....rake/sift sand, change out all shavings for new and then I sprinkle everything with DE...

Now I get down and pretty close to everything when cleaning...especially the sand as I use a cat scooper and I think I would have noticed any creepy crawlies and I never have until last week when I noticed red specks in the sand moving in the little silkie coop...that was last weekend when I blasted the coop with sevin and applied ivermectin to all my birds and everyone is still alive! :D

So today everyone is being thrown out since the sun is out and I am off to get permethrin spray for the coop...
 
Quote: Scratch is a treat. It lowers the percentage of protein you are giving your birds in there feeds if you give to much. You could Ferment your scratch and get that back up and it will be good for them too. Calf manna will help bring that back up even more. I add 1 cup to my feed for the day. (I feed fermented feed and sprinkle it on top)
Great thanks for this...everyone's opinions have been very helpful...I appreciate everyone's experience and knowledge...

I have sand in my coops and runs, shavings in my nesting boxes and silkie 'beds' boxes...I clean everything out every Saturday....rake/sift sand, change out all shavings for new and then I sprinkle everything with DE...

Now I get down and pretty close to everything when cleaning...especially the sand as I use a cat scooper and I think I would have noticed any creepy crawlies and I never have until last week when I noticed red specks in the sand moving in the little silkie coop...that was last weekend when I blasted the coop with sevin and applied ivermectin to all my birds and everyone is still alive!
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So today everyone is being thrown out since the sun is out and I am off to get permethrin spray for the coop...
Good on the permethrin ..
 

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