Blue Silkie Genetics!

[feather leg farms]

Hey,

I have have sooooooo much trouble hatching blue silkies. I only have two hens and I bought them as adults. Thats the only way I have them. Everytime I get a blue showgirl it dies and it was acting fine the day before, even minutes or seconds before death. I have hatched some blue silkies and have all but one left along with a possible lavender. Does anyone else have this problem. If you know how to stop this or prevent is from it happening in the future PLEASE help me!! I have an egg in the bator from my nicest blue hen and I want to prevent this happening to her.

-FLF

This is the mom to the blue in the bator now and hope to find a cure to this problem so it'll live!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is Flufffy!! ( Cathryn Walden )

 

[feather leg farms]

anyone know!!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

You need to have a necropsy done to find out why they are dying. Yes, it could be genetic, but it is more likely to be an illness. Are all your silkies having problems? Or do you not have any others? How long has this been going on? Some illness only pass horizontally (from bird to bird), others also pass vertically (from hen to egg).

There are no genetic issues with blue birds, but it is possible that there is another genetic problem that is running through your blues (because you have bred them together).

When did the last death occur?

 

[feather leg farms]

No, all of our adults are doing fine. It not just my birds its every one I get even from top breeders.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Are you quarantining them? For how long? Is it only blues? Are you purchasing chicks or eggs or youngsters?

 

[feather leg farms]

Yes only blue. We have bought both chicks and eggs they all die. The last death was this morning.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

is your flock tested for pullorum typhoid? that is passed throught the eggs and death happens before or after they hatch.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

What age are they dying? What are the symptoms? How long do you quarantine? When was the last time you disinfected your incubator?

 

[feather leg farms]

@ Sonoran Silkies-
Usually they die around a few days old. They act sleepy for a few mins or sometimes hours or days and then boom dead. I don't quarintene them b/c they have just hatched. We usually clean every few days.

@ SundownWaterfall
No they haven't been tested but we r going to have them all blood tested within a few months.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Thoroughly sanitize your incubator and brooder. Keep newly hatched chicks by themselves, not exposed to any other birds for at least a couple of weeks. Check your temperatures to ensure that they are neither too cold nor too hot, give them vitamin fortified water the first few days, feed a good quality medicated starter--if available in your area, I highly recommend Manna Pro chick starter. Make sure they are eating and drinking. Watch their poop.

Quarantine is a two way street--it protects your current flock from anything the new birds might bring in, but it also protects new birds from illnesses that might be carried by your current flock.

Another thing is to check for mites and lice--they will kill babies very rapidly.