Arizona Chickens

[City farm]

Sorry guys, I couldn't resist! The silkies are gone.

i originally asked RedrocketRooster for 4 chicks: 2 bcms and 2 lavender Ameracaunas. Then I started thinking, what if I get Roos? Better make it 3 BCMs because I rrrrreally want the chocolate colored eggs. A few days later I thought, well, I rrrrreally want blue eggs so better get 3 of those, too.... Then yesterday I was reading this whole thread about silkies. Also, I was thinking that it would be nice to introduce more color in the chicks themselves, so I started looking for chicks I might pick up locally that would be the same age. And viola! I have TEN chicks, including white, buff, blue and black silkies... NOW WHAT DO I DO??? Lol

Oh, congradulations can't wait to see what they look like in about 7 months... Keep us posted..

 

[City farm]

I put up some pictures of the silkies I picked up at City Farms when I was there last night, as well as the silkie & one of the two frizzles I'm fostering, on my blog. I really don't know much about either one, except they look like aliens.

By the way, Cheryl "Kent Jr. # 2" MOM, that you took when you were here,
went to log into your web site and said she had to do a gmail.. So she gave up..
However, she is so happy you took him, & really only because you are NOT going to eat him... She was pleasantly surprised to see him.. She loved
your web site and information along with his photo.. She would like to thank you herself on your blog, but having a gmail did not work for her..
Please let us know when you plan a trip this way... We will be having parties by the fire soon..

 

[Demosthine]

It would appear we've had our first "loss" to a predator. One of our six-week old Production Reds from The Stock Shop was missing when we got home this evening. I looked all over the yard, behind and under the bushes, in the coop, and everywhere else I could think of. She's just gone. There's just no tell-tale signs in the yard of attack. No scattered feathers, no spare body parts, nothing. Even a small hawk could have carried a chick off that size, so it doesn't particularly surprise me that she was targeted. We have all sorts of predatory birds in our area, plus the additional bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions. Of course, there's the risk of snakes, too, but somehow I find it hard to believe one would be able to get a larger chick. Regardless, losses are expected and I'm glad it's one of the smaller ones.

My wife, meanwhile, says I suck as a human being for not protecting them better and I'm a horrible parent.

 

[MandyFitch]

Bad mama here, too. Lost one of the silkies tonight. It was noticeably less energetic than the rest as soon as I put them in the brooder. Within hours it was just laying there while the others looked great.
I fed it pedialyte with a dropper every so often and it would liven up for a minute and then fade away again. Finally found it on it's back, dead. Sigh. Sorry little guy.

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

It would appear we've had our first "loss" to a predator. One of our six-week old Production Reds from The Stock Shop was missing when we got home this evening. I looked all over the yard, behind and under the bushes, in the coop, and everywhere else I could think of. She's just gone. There's just no tell-tale signs in the yard of attack. No scattered feathers, no spare body parts, nothing. Even a small hawk could have carried a chick off that size, so it doesn't particularly surprise me that she was targeted. We have all sorts of predatory birds in our area, plus the additional bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions. Of course, there's the risk of snakes, too, but somehow I find it hard to believe one would be able to get a larger chick. Regardless, losses are expected and I'm glad it's one of the smaller ones.

My wife, meanwhile, says I suck as a human being for not protecting them better and I'm a horrible parent.

I had a young PR that disappeared like that. We searched the neighborhood and found her hiding about 4 doors down under a bush along a very busy street. She was sure glad to see us!

 

[redrocketrooster]

It would appear we've had our first "loss" to a predator. One of our six-week old Production Reds from The Stock Shop was missing when we got home this evening. I looked all over the yard, behind and under the bushes, in the coop, and everywhere else I could think of. She's just gone. There's just no tell-tale signs in the yard of attack. No scattered feathers, no spare body parts, nothing. Even a small hawk could have carried a chick off that size, so it doesn't particularly surprise me that she was targeted. We have all sorts of predatory birds in our area, plus the additional bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions. Of course, there's the risk of snakes, too, but somehow I find it hard to believe one would be able to get a larger chick. Regardless, losses are expected and I'm glad it's one of the smaller ones.

My wife, meanwhile, says I suck as a human being for not protecting them better and I'm a horrible parent.

That sucks!!!! I know you were excited about them being in the big girl pen. Any chance she was spooked and got out somewhere? It's surprising what a spooked chicken can do...

Bad mama here, too. Lost one of the silkies tonight. It was noticeably less energetic than the rest as soon as I put them in the brooder. Within hours it was just laying there while the others looked great.
I fed it pedialyte with a dropper every so often and it would liven up for a minute and then fade away again. Finally found it on it's back, dead. Sigh. Sorry little guy.

Oh man Im so sorry, but sometimes with chicks it just happens. :C Bantams can be pretty hard to raise and silkie chicks have a higher mortality rate (if I did my research right).

 

[City farm]

Bad mama here, too.  Lost one of the silkies tonight. It was noticeably less energetic than the rest as soon as I put them in the brooder.  Within hours it was just laying there while the others looked great.
I fed it pedialyte with a dropper every so often and it would liven up for a minute and then fade away again.  Finally found it on it's back, dead.  Sigh. Sorry little guy.

Oh, agreed with RR... Condolence from us..

 

[Timskins]

So my coop is just about done and I plan on putting the chicks outside this weekend. Any advice on helping them adjust to the heat of being outside and not a cool 78 degrees?

 

[Arizonachicken]

Thanks to RRR and AzKat! I ended up with 3 chicks. Sorry about missed communication, RRR. I never received any texts...maybe you were texting my house phone?? Anyway, I wanted more, but am happy with the 3 I got! Looks like a Welsumer, black Orpington, and a blue or splash Orpington. My broody hen rejected them, so I'll be raising these by hand. Anyone have fertile BCM eggs I can out under my broody?

 

[heidisue]

Hi all! I haven't been online most of the summer and it took me weeks (seriously!) to catch up with the posts

Had a run in with a hawk yesterday didn't get anybody, but I will have to confine them to their run for a while now and they are not going to like that! The run is big enough (8' x 12' with the attached 8' x 4' coop), but they have gotten used to free ranging in our backyard during the day (the backyard is about 3/4 acre I would guess). I have 3 silkies, heard the commotion so I grabbed some treats and went outside, the hawk was sitting on the coop door (red tail) and didn't move until I was about 5 feet away! Two girls made it back into the coop/run and were huddled in the far corner. The third didn't make it in the coop so she flattened herself in a hole she made earlier and was not moving. They all appeared okay, as long as I don't have any heart/stress problems today!