American serama thread!

[WVduckchick]

I think I'd maybe put a dab of Neosporin on their heads and just keep an eye out for when the scabs fall off. Watch to see if others peck them or anything. Probably should heal just fine otherwise. Might have to separate them if they get too picky. Hopefully the feathers grow in as the scabs fall off and obscure the skin.

 

[Katybee]

I think I'd maybe put a dab of Neosporin on their heads and just keep an eye out for when the scabs fall off. Watch to see if others peck them or anything. Probably should heal just fine otherwise. Might have to separate them if they get too picky. Hopefully the feathers grow in as the scabs fall off and obscure the skin.

Thank you. Again
IV raised the plate a lot but left it lots higher but not as high at the back feet.
Before I used it I read a lot. Most said chicks push up on it including the manufacturer ? .
Some chicks I read even wriggled under a cloth pressed right up to the plate that was put there to stop them touching.
I thought due to reading that ,that it may have been too high and 3 got in to the habit of pressing their heads up to it as a tad shorter than the ones who could raise their backs to it ? I'm mortified if iv done them harm. I'll google neosporin and find a uk same
I will keep watch I'm out numerous times a day sat watching just cos I love them they intrigue and amuse me. All of them !
Thank you

 

[WVduckchick]

Thank you. Again
IV raised the plate a lot but left it lots higher but not as high at the back feet.
Before I used it I read a lot. Most said chicks push up on it including the manufacturer ? .
Some chicks I read even wriggled under a cloth pressed right up to the plate that was put there to stop them touching.
I thought due to reading that ,that it may have been too high and 3 got in to the habit of pressing their heads up to it as a tad shorter than the ones who could raise their backs to it ? I'm mortified if iv done them harm. I'll google neosporin and find a uk same
I will keep watch I'm out numerous times a day sat watching just cos I love them they intrigue and amuse me. All of them !
Thank you

It’s not your fault so please don’t feel bad. I thought most of the plates are meant to be touched, as well as provide some ambient warmth, but it may depend on your particular model. Or it could be faulty. You may want to rub your hand across it and see if there are any spots that feel extra hot.

 

[WVduckchick]

Small stuffed dog toy under mine. They would crawl on top of it all the time.

 

[Faraday40]

@Katybee

She's adorable!

I agree that she looks like a silkied serama (unless you see fuzzy legs, black skin, or 5 toes) It's possible she also has a frizzled gene - or perhaps she was just fluffing out due to being broody. Some of mine look like mini round turkeys when broody.

I wish I had a suggestion about the heat plate. Strange they wouldn't move when too hot. I do know that chicks are very hardy & heal quickly. I once had a young chick with a large flapping piece of neck/head skin after a gory fox attack. All I did was disinfect regularly & it healed perfectly all by itself. (I did isolate for the 1st few days until the skin formed some scabbing.) I never actually believed she would live, but she did.

 

[Katybee]

Small stuffed dog toy under mine. They would crawl on top of it all the time.
View attachment 1600249

Awww
When I looked under the plate only the biggest 2 pressed their backs right on it. The others were either laid at the lowest bit or on tip toes with heads touching even though they could have moved further in ? I'm also surprised if it hurt them why they would keep doing it ? Iv found an antibiotic cream uk equivalent it's on order next day delivery. The plate did feel hot but not so much I couldn't leave the back if my hand on it. I also read others concerned about the heat. It's a comfort one. Just strange 6 are fine ?

Thanks again

 

[Katybee]

@Katybee

She's adorable!

I agree that she looks like a silkied serama (unless you see fuzzy legs, black skin, or 5 toes) It's possible she also has a frizzled gene - or perhaps she was just fluffing out due to being broody. Some of mine look like mini round turkeys when broody.

I wish I had a suggestion about the heat plate. Strange they wouldn't move when too hot. I do know that chicks are very hardy & heal quickly. I once had a young chick with a large flapping piece of neck/head skin after a gory fox attack. All I did was disinfect regularly & it healed perfectly all by itself. (I did isolate for the 1st few days until the skin formed some scabbing.) I never actually believed she would live, but she did.

Ahhh
Thankyou she's always looked fluffy. I'll see if I can find a pic when I bought her.. no, no black skin ,fuzzy legs or 5 toes but you can bet I have a good look tomorrow ha ha. I know it's so puzzling me. They were in a huge long box with the plate in the middle. Now in cordoned off part of greenhouse with the grown ups and plate (higher). The birds chose the greenhouse and abandoned the coop lol.who am I to argue so Iv put a mega large tarp over it draught proofed and loads of straw. I'll double check the plate first thing but felt fine when I adjusted it earlier.

Iv brought 2 of the 4 week olds in as out of 4 eggs 1 quit and 2 sadly didn't live long. The 1 left I read would be lonely. Iv been watching all afternoon it's not being pecked at and coming out it's bed more. Sounds happier now it has company

 

[Katybee]

Ahhh
Thankyou she's always looked fluffy. I'll see if I can find a pic when I bought her.. no, no black skin ,fuzzy legs or 5 toes but you can bet I have a good look tomorrow ha ha. I know it's so puzzling me. They were in a huge long box with the plate in the middle. Now in cordoned off part of greenhouse with the grown ups and plate (higher). The birds chose the greenhouse and abandoned the coop lol.who am I to argue so Iv put a mega large tarp over it draught proofed and loads of straw. I'll double check the plate first thing but felt fine when I adjusted it earlier.

Iv brought 2 of the 4 week olds in as out of 4 eggs 1 quit and 2 sadly didn't live long. The 1 left I read would be lonely. Iv been watching all afternoon it's not being pecked at and coming out it's bed more. Sounds happier now it has company

Pic taken just now. Little one keeps snuggling under the bigger ones

 

[WVduckchick]

I had a tiny one hatch under a broody last night or this morning.
I hope it survives. It’s really cold, and getting colder the rest of the week. She hatched another a couple days ago.

 

[Faraday40]

We got about 6.5" of snow last night. Kids are off school - mainly because it's the 1st real snow of the year. If this happened in Jan, I doubt they would have closed. However, I was grateful to have the kids here to help me dig out the coop - and a path leading to the coop.

My "useless bantam" coop was set up inside our back screened room. No snow in there, of course, but the temps are in the mids 20s'F today. They're staying inside coop area near the heat plate. I expected them to go out to scratch in the bedding & then return to the warmth. I hope their bodies adjust because it's going to get a lot colder.

One silkie hen went broody last week. She keeps stealing the serama's eggs as soon as they're layed. I wish I had captured the scene with my camera. Silly birds. I already have another broody hen in the big coop, so I'll likely give the silkie some of those eggs/chicks.

Due to the snowstorm, I put the turkeys in the chicken coop last night. The turkeys should have already been processed but I didn't feel like doing it in the cold the week before Thanksgiving. This past weekend was better weather, but I couldn't find an assistant to help me. Now it's snow. Basically all the birds in the coop are very confused. They're afraid of the snow & it's not safe free ranging anyway with the Coopers Hawk who's camping in our backyard.

Life's never boring with poultry.