American serama thread!

[ChristineR]

I was holding him and he hopped down.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Ah! Little cute bugger, LOL

 

[SonRise Silkies]

Brain picking time if you all will bear with me.......

The colors on some of the birds are gorgeous, they don't breed true though do they?
A hatch can be a rainbow of different colors even from the same pair right?
Thats fine with me...they are all beautiful in their own way.


Mine are outside in an enclosed house, lots of bedding and such......the lady I got them from, Carla Cole, has hers outside too but I noticed she had a light over each cage I think for heat? Do they need heat?
If they do mine are in trouble.....of course I will always keep the youngsters warm, and any hatched will be in my home till thy are big
How much pampering do they require?
I'm used to the Silkies sleeping in a big warm fluffy pile of soft feathers and deep bedding. The Seramas of course are on a perch.
I spoil my chickens and do my very best for them but don't really want to raise chickens that must have an awful lot of "extra" care to survive.
In other words how delicate are these adorable little darlings.
Thanks for any and all help.
Also where do I find the standard description of Seramas? Thanks.
Cheryl

 

[Brookhavens]

Brain picking time if you all will bear with me.......

The colors on some of the birds are gorgeous, they don't breed true though do they?
A hatch can be a rainbow of different colors even from the same pair right? Yes. Kind of like the "Box of Chocolates" that Forrest Gump had.
Thats fine with me...they are all beautiful in their own way.


Mine are outside in an enclosed house, lots of bedding and such......the lady I got them from, Carla Cole, has hers outside too but I noticed she had a light over each cage I think for heat? Do they need heat? If the temperature dips below 40 then yes, they need a heat source. Some good info on the breed. Gerry's Seramas
If they do mine are in trouble.....of course I will always keep the youngsters warm, and any hatched will be in my home till thy are big
How much pampering do they require? It's not so much pampering but these little guys have so much personality and love to interact with humans that you find yourself pampering them without giving it a thought.
I'm used to the Silkies sleeping in a big warm fluffy pile of soft feathers and deep bedding. The Seramas of course are on a perch.
I spoil my chickens and do my very best for them but don't really want to raise chickens that must have an awful lot of "extra" care to survive.
In other words how delicate are these adorable little darlings.
Thanks for any and all help.
Also where do I find the standard description of Seramas? SCNA Thanks.
Cheryl

 

[kukupecpec]

What a beautiful pair! Congratulations!

They're so cute! Wonder what they'll look like when they've grown up! I bet they'll be very sweet!!!

Grrr, I think I have two boys, and I don't know why but the bigger boy has taken to biting the little one on the neck all the time! I'm sure, at just under 3 weeks, they can't be having sexual urges, but it seems extra mean for pecking order stuff, especially since the bigger one used to be so sweet to the younger one

Ugh, I just realized!!! I've had a regular bulb on them for quite some time as my heating lamp bulb blew out!!!! I gotta get another red bulb, I'll bet that'll stop the aggression!!!

Stupid me, I should have realized and not been cheap!!!

So is it normal for them to peck at each other a little bit? Turtle seems to peck at the other guy almost constantly. Even goin so far as to grabbing the fluff on his wing and kind of dragging him.

Are They not supposed to be on shavings right away??? I put mine directly into shavings in their brooder... is that bad??
My seramas are outside ad we just has an all time record low of 7!They don't have any extra heat or anything and they seem to be just fine. Do I need to be giving them heat out there?? I thought chickens in general were pretty hardy. I do have one of those cute cookie tin heaters but they don't use it.

 

[Brookhavens]

So is it normal for them to peck at each other a little bit? Turtle seems to peck at the other guy almost constantly. Even goin so far as to grabbing the fluff on his wing and kind of dragging him.

Are They not supposed to be on shavings right away??? I put mine directly into shavings in their brooder... is that bad??
My seramas are outside ad we just has an all time record low of 7!They don't have any extra heat or anything and they seem to be just fine. Do I need to be giving them heat out there?? I thought chickens in general were pretty hardy. I do have one of those cute cookie tin heaters but they don't use it.

I usually use paper towels or the rubber shelf lining over the shavings for the first few days. I will sprinkle their feed on it so they get an idea of where everything is in the brooder. Plus I don't want them eating the wood chips.

I haven't had Seramas all that long so I can't honestly answer. Maybe one of the long time breeders can answer. When I first looked into gettting them I did read over and over that they did not do well in low temps. That they were a tropical bird. Living in Florida I knew they would be ok and I would only have to worry about a few days in Jan. - March that it did dip below freezing.

 

[kukupecpec]

I usually use paper towels or the rubber shelf lining over the shavings for the first few days. I will sprinkle their feed on it so they get an idea of where everything is in the brooder. Plus I don't want them eating the wood chips.

I haven't had Seramas all that long so I can't honestly answer. Maybe one of the long time breeders can answer. When I first looked into gettting them I did read over and over that they did not do well in low temps. That they were a tropical bird. Living in Florida I knew they would be ok and I would only have to worry about a few days in Jan. - March that it did dip below freezing.

So do you think if they are eating the chick feed ok they will be ok on the wood chips? They pecked at it a little at first, but they are both eating the chicken feed pretty regularly. They don't seem to like to drink very often though... I have been dipping their beaks in their waterer every few hours if they haven't had any on their own. They will drink, and then take another drink or two, and then they run off to play and eat some more but they don't seem to come back to the water much.

I'm not sure what to do about the heat though. I mean they HAVE been fine, but I would hate to jinx myself and have a pair a frozen serama!

 

[ChristineR]

In 7 degree temps, I would definitely give them heat!

 

[Gardeningmama]

My seramas are outside ad we just has an all time record low of 7!They don't have any extra heat or anything and they seem to be just fine. Do I need to be giving them heat out there?? I thought chickens in general were pretty hardy. I do have one of those cute cookie tin heaters but they don't use it.

It gets down in the 20's here on average at night, and often below that. Everything I've read says that they are tropical, and require a heat source below 40. I have been using heatlamps, but keep extra bulbs on hand at all times. If one blows out they could freeze to death because they're acclimated to it. I am constantly checking out the window, even in the middle of the night. Some people have posted that they stuff the coops with tons of straw and that works for them, but I don't want to risk it. 7 degrees is pretty low, though, I don't know?

 

[kukupecpec]

Hmm I guess I need to figure something out for them then. Bummer I thought they were doing so well!

I yawned and my two little chicks were sitting around my neck while i watched a movie and the one who isn't named yet jumped into my mouth! Tried to go down my throat! I nearly choked on the poor little guy! Now he tries to get in there every chance he gets. I think he has a death wish...