Silkie thread!

[Momma2bellas]

I have 3 silkies (9 weeks old) that love being in the yard but as soon as I put back in cage they all scratch & roll around in the sand,why? They only get to free range in the yard for about 2 to 3 hours a day. I try and hold them every other day and always looking under the feathers and never seen any mites or bugs.

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[Fancychooklady]

Not to add fuel to the fire here, but this stuff goes on the back of our pets' necks.  A lot of folks sleep with their pets. I dunno about you guys, but I (and my kids) rub all over our dog and cat.  Puppy kisses are one of my favorite things.  In my case, I imagine absorption is unavoidable.  One would think if it were truly harmful that it would not be marketed for topical use on pets.  Yeah, I know, DDT, asbestos...

Hehe, I think you answered your own question.
Imidacloropid is derived from the chemical nicotine and if ingested can cause lymphatic issues for animals and humans alike. It is also lethal to bees and has been used in garden pesticides for decades. As with all things ' backyard ' it's a personal choice, but I try to exercise caution when it comes to ' food producing '
Animals and birds.

http://www.vef.unizg.hr/vetarhiv/papers/2010-80-5-10.pdf

 

[Fancychooklady]

I have 3 silkies (9 weeks old) that love being in the yard but as soon as I put back in cage they all scratch & roll around in the sand,why? They only get to free range in the yard for about 2 to 3 hours a day. I try and hold them every other day and always looking under the feathers and never seen any mites or bugs.

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Could just be their favorite dust bathing spot. Check the area 2 inches around the vent for egg casings . The best time to inspect for lice is at night. I am often out in the coop , head lamp on , magnifying glass in hand.

 

[TerryPy]

DNA testing is $12 with the lab I use and its what I'll be doing with my 2 new silkies as I suspect they are both cockerels and don't want to hang onto them for 6mths waiting. Which would be a shame as they are a gorgeous lavender and lavender split from show stock.

 

[frannyglass]

DNA testing is $12 with the lab I use and its what I'll be doing with my 2 new silkies as I suspect they are both cockerels and don't want to hang onto them for 6mths waiting. Which would be a shame as they are a gorgeous lavender and lavender split from show stock.

What lab do you use? Everywhere I can find online charges about double that...

 

[TerryPy]

not sure about restrictions...so hopefully this is ok. I've used www.healthgene.com/avian-dna
Its out of Canada and you will need to order the dna kit. Send the feathers and very quickly you get an answer. A lot of the parrot breeds have to use DNA to sex as there is no difference between sexes so this is a very common accurate avian practice.

 

[frannyglass]

Oh wow, thanks! You've made my life a lot easier!

 

[chickenmapa]

My sickie just hatched three chicks today but I noticed their bums were wet and when I investigated I noticed there vents look a little strang...this is my first time having silkie chicks so... Is this normal?

 

[silkiecuddles]

My sickie just hatched three chicks today but I noticed their bums were wet and when I investigated I noticed there vents look a little strang...this is my first time having silkie chicks so... Is this normal?

I don't remember what it's called, but I saw that on a lot of my artificially hatched chicks. Just leave it alone.

 

[chickenmapa]

Okay thanks! I just never saw it before and thought maybe it was some kind of birth defect that would cause problems.