Silkie thread!

[wvchix]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I wondered what the differences were. I guess one of mine has a vaulted skull.

 

[chick rookie]

I was looking at my Silkies tail feathers and am pretty sure I got 2 boys, what do you guys think? They are 12 weeks old today.





Hope the pic's are good enough.

Op's please

 

[silkie2001]

Judging by body shape and tail feathers they look like Roos to me :3

 

[heirloomorps]

The second, darker one I would say roo. The lighter one, 75% roo, 25% pullet.

 

[BuckNBark Farm]

Three of my babies do seem to be having the pastey butt problem including this one, but none of them besides this one is acting this wat. Ive been trimming the fluff and hard poo pieces away, and then wiping it the best I can but theres always a hard crust all around it even when it seems clear enough. Am I suppose to wipe away every single hard spots even if its not blocking the exit? Will just having it around the area be making her sick?

You can put a little bit of olive oil on the butt, to keep it from sticking after you clean it off. Probably other oil, but that's the one that I read, so I use that. Can't help but think that I'm basting them.

 

[wvchix]

You can put a little bit of olive oil on the butt, to keep it from sticking after you clean it off. Probably other oil, but that's the one that I read, so I use that. Can't help but think that I'm basting them.

I use a tiny bit of coconut oil on a cotton swab and it works great.

 

[chick rookie]

Judging by body shape and tail feathers they look like Roos to me :3

The second, darker one I would say roo. The lighter one, 75% roo, 25% pullet.

thanks, I was hoping I was wrong... now I still got to get a few girls.

 

[Sylvester017]

One of my new silkie chicks looks like its not doing too well Its smaller and more lethergic then its siblings and I dont know what else to do for it. Its one of my favorite ones because it kinda has some sentimental value to it because I havent had silkies again since my black silkie rooster died 11yrs ago. I finally got some and have been thinking of a name for this lil black one that would remind me of my rooster since its black to. I know I shouldnt get attached so soon but I wish I hadent picked such a small chick and maybe then it would be fine. Its just been sleeping ALOT while all the others all rambunctious and playing/eating and this one just huddles down and doesent want to move or eat or anything and its eyes are always half closed even when it is awake but it never wants to move or explore or anything. It just looks very tierd all the time. When I hold it, it doesent even struggle and just wants to lay back down and sleep. I went as far and crushing their crumbled food to make it even easier to eat and I saw it eat some right after I did that yesterday but I havent seen it eat sense and I havent seen it drink at all. I have been putting tiny drops of water in its mouth by hand a few times a day to make sure its hydrated but I just dont know what else to do for the lil cutie. I am really sad that it has to be this one. The one that reminds me so much of my rooster who was my baby all those yrs ago. I know im sounding too emotional about this, and maybe I am as im also dealing with those wonderful pregnancy hormones to. I just wish I got a bigger chick from the start and didnt have to go through trying to save this one just to end up loosing it. Its 3 days old now. Is there anything else I can do for it?

Whenever my broody Partridge Silkie looks like she's wasting away setting an imaginary nest (she sometimes goes over 3 weeks brooding) I give her Poly-Vi-Sol no iron children's liquid vitamin - just one drop (NOT a dropperful) every 1-2 days. She will look puffed up, lethargic, sleepy-eyed, and a vitamin drop and dropperful of water on side of her beak perks her up. Of course we take her out of the fake nest to dust-bathe, eat, and drink but she goes immediately back to her imaginary nest. The vitamins perk her up and we make sure she gets added treats for nutrition. She's my oldest hen at 3 years old and just doesn't move around quite as spryly as the newer birds so we monitor her and always make sure she gets nutrition and vitamins.

I too love my Black Silkie. She is my favourite and has cost me over $200 in vet bills and medicine this past year and she's only 2 years old. Spunky little sweetie and most entertaining of our hens to watch because she is the littlest chicken. Lost an APA Ameraucana juvenile and a 19-day-old Dominique chick last year and it was devastating but I think I would become seriously ill if and when its time for our Black Silkie to go to chicken heaven! Every time I go to the vet with her I prepare myself for her to be "put down" but either the vet is very very good or she is just a spunky survivor.

My farm Mom always warned me that chicks are delicate and Nature only allows the strong to survive. I know it still hurt her to lose an animal though.

 

[Sylvester017]

You can put a little bit of olive oil on the butt, to keep it from sticking after you clean it off. Probably other oil, but that's the one that I read, so I use that. Can't help but think that I'm basting them.

I used to use olive oil thinking it was the best to use (for massaging Silkie's feathered legs and toes). Per my vet's advice he said to use either vitamin A or vitamin E oil not just on the legs but on the beak, walnut comb, and wattles too. It is an exceptionally good exterior nutrient for chickens bodies. I found vitamin E oil in a coconut/soybean base at Walmart and I found it was less sticky and less heavy than olive oil or vaseline. I even tried children's vitamin A&D ointment but found the vitamin E oil less greasy. The feathers were not prone to clumping together as badly and the vitamin oils absorbed into the feathers and skin nutritionally without the greasiness residue of olive oil or vaseline.

It was a flukey thing I would never have thought of doing if it hadn't been suggested by the vet.

 

[dstinett]

I'm new to Silkies. I have one rooster given to me by a friend. I have 6 coming from Ideal in few weeks. I'm very disappointed in my roo. he has very little crest. I want some with fluffy crests. Are they only in show birds? Does color play a part? Here is a pic for opinions. He has black skin, 5 toes and what looks like single comb to me