Silkie thread!

[Fancychooklady]

look like normal chicken poop.a little on the watery side though (or atleast the sick ones) i had a few with pasty butt but i kept up on that so thats not the cause. what bothers me is they all died the same way, weakness in legs (cant stand. like spraddle leg or paralysis) then they continually get weaker till they start stargazing and panting/gasping then they seize up and die.. idk whats going on but i want it to stop

Could be coccidiosis. It sounds like you've got more than one issue here. Pasty butt can be related to dehydration. Star gazing and ataxia are related to thiamine deficiency. Did you ever treat them with corid/amprolium ?

 

[EZFarms]

I've never had to so i dojt have it on hand. idnt cocci related to bloody poop? And it would everyobe right? (I have like 35 more chicks)

 

[mom of silkies]

I hope your chicks are all right!

 

[seminolewind]

I've never had to so i dojt have it on hand. idnt cocci related to bloody poop? And it would everyobe right? (I have like 35 more chicks)

There are 6-7 types of cocci and only 1 produces bloody stool.

I had problems with a few chicks until I started re grinding the crumbles for the first few weeks. And to get the appetite going there's nothing better than chick feed mush!

 

[MumsyIII]

I ferment unmedicated chick starter using un pasturized ACV and add powdered garlic, ground oregano, and cayenne. I start them on it at three days old. At a week old I give them a nice juicy grass dirt clod to peck at for natural minerals and grit. It slowly builds good immunity. Also never let their bedding get wet. Don't spill the water dishes, don't let them walk in their water. I raise my chick waters just enough so it is within reach but they don't climb in or scratch the litter into it. Wet litter and dirty litter combined can be lethal. I haven't had a cocci outbreak with my chicks by using these methods for many years now.
I also keep the shavings thick and stir it every day. Lot's of people like to handle their chicks. I don't handle anymore than I need to. It can cause unnecessary stress. Stress lowers chicks immune systems. I raise a hundred silkies a year this way. It works for me. But I don't buy hatchery or feed store chicks either.

 

[Scatterknit]

Hi! I have 3 new silkies and I have a question about typical silkie behavior and how to take care of them. I've never had any before and they don't act like normal chickens.

I bought these from a "show breeder" who raises them in her house. They are about 2-3 months old. I kept them in a brooder for a few days when I got them home and today I've moved them to a coop. They have it all to themselves - it's a new coop, upper level with the nesting boxes and a ramp down to a lower level that's on the ground.

So - they just sit around. They don't act like normal chickens, scratching, investigating, pecking - they just seem to sit around a lot, eat a little, and then sit around some more. They won't go up or down the ramp and in fact one actually fell off it. And then he just sat there.

Is this typical?

I don't know whether I need to get some kind of special housing for them? I know they don't roost - but what DO they do? There is no way they'd survive with the rest of the chickens I have - they'd get picked on and probably pecked to death.

They're beautiful and very sweet and I want to keep them healthy and happy - so any recommendations you may have would really be appreciated!!!

 

[BonRae67]

Hi!  I have 3 new silkies and I have a question about typical silkie behavior and how to take care of them. I've never had any before and they don't act like normal chickens. 

I bought these from a "show breeder" who raises them in her house.  They are about 2-3 months old. I kept them in a brooder for a few days when I got them home and today I've moved them to a coop.  They have it all to themselves - it's a new coop, upper level with the nesting boxes and a ramp down to a lower level that's on the ground.  

So - they just sit around.  They don't act like normal chickens, scratching, investigating, pecking - they just seem to sit around a lot,  eat a little, and then sit around some more.  They won't go up or down the ramp and in fact one actually fell off it.  And then he just sat there.

Is this typical?  

I don't know whether I need to get some kind of special housing for them?  I know they don't roost - but what DO they do?  There is no way they'd survive with the rest of the chickens I have - they'd get picked on and probably pecked to death.

They're beautiful and very sweet and I want to keep them healthy and happy - so any recommendations you may have would really be appreciated!!!

As you have probably have figured out they don't really like to climb. They like every at ground level. They have to learn to be chickens if they were raised in the house. We had one that was raised in the house and now she loves scratcging and pecking. It took a little while for them to get used to the new surroundings. That ia 2 moves in a few days. Good luck with them.

 

[EZFarms]

I hope your chicks are all right!

they seem ok now

There are 6-7 types of cocci and only 1 produces bloody stool.

I had problems with a few chicks until I started re grinding the crumbles for the first few weeks.  And to get the appetite going there's nothing better than chick feed mush!

wouldnt cocci effect everyone though?

 

[seminolewind]

No. When I've gotten it, it was mostly 1 chick. I had 2 once.

 

[EZFarms]

hmm okay well everyone seems okay now. no more deaths