Consolidated Kansas

[Hawkeye95]

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two days AFTER you ordered it!!! LOVE it! I really thought I was stronger than that. I have been looking at those chicks for two weeks now whenever I go in. I've never broken down like that. But i had all the kids with me, and we had just left church-- I was on a high! hehehe Well, that's my story, anyway.

 

[Hawkeye95]

The last picture isn't very clear, but it does show her/his 5 toes and feathers on her toes.

Already, I'm in love. Can you handle them too much? I just want to hold them and pet them. I did make sure they are drinking by dipping their beaks and they found the food and are eating.

 

[sharol]

Awww. Aren't they cute? I have a 6x8 coop and 11 chickens. NO MORE CHICKS. NO MORE CHICKS. Where did you say you found them? (don't answer that)

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[Hawkeye95]

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They were at Atwoods in Derby. Just south of Wichita. Anyway, they had more silkies! And they had a TON of heavies and layers in. Plus, keets and ducks. We were in poultry heaven this morning! Bins of straight run and bins of pullets. The bantams were all straight run. My luck and both my little silkies will be boys!

 

[rittert3]

You can handle them as much or little as you want just make sure the kids wash their hands before and after and put them back under the light for a while if they start to "complain". Also be aware that hens get tamer when raised with lots of attention and contact but roos tend to be problems as adults when raised like that however, if you raise them with little to no contact all of them will be difficult to catch/handle when needed as adults. That can be a difficult choice. Good luck with your new silkies and you should post some more pics when your mail orders get in.

 

[chicken danz]

Oh congrats. Loralee! I hadn't been on here today. I went to town this morning and took my Mom to church. She hadn't been up to going since she got so sick. I think it was really good for her to get out of the house for a while. Anyway I had to come home and take care of the birds and have a late lunch. Then the phone started ringing. I am just now setting down.

 

[Hawkeye95]

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The only possible roos I might have are maybe these silkies, since they aren't sexed. I ordered all pullets. (we shall see!) And I've been reading up that silkie roos are very docile and gentle and even help take care of the babies! So, I'm not expecting too much trouble with them. But definitely good to know! What in the world do you with the other breeds? I want them to be like Seymore-- follow me around and want to be pet.

 

[rittert3]

You shouldn't have to many problems with the silkie roos getting aggressive, I say if all the rest are pullets handle away. The more, the better, just as long as they don't get chilled. Then you'll have happy freindly hens.

 

[Hawkeye95]

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Thanks! The babies are shivering when I pick them up. Well.. I think it's a shiver??? They are active and running around and at no point do they act cold-- they didn't even act cold when I first brought them home. They sleep farthest away from the heat lamp and I pulled the lamp up higher so it will not be so warm and now they are all over the brooder- even under the lamp pecking and playing. But every time I pick them up, they are kind of shaky? Sort of like a shiver, but they don't seem cold. Maybe they are scared.. or they just 'vibrate'?? LOL They seem happy and they eyeball me.

 

[Ivywoods]

If you don't have a thermometer in the brooder, how close or far they stay from the heat lamp is a pretty good indication of what temp they are preferring. I like having a thermometer, just so I don't get things too hot or too cold. You can pick up a pretty cheap thermometer at Wal-Mart for a dollar or two.

As far as the shivering, I'm having trouble guessing what that is about. Do they stop shivering if you cover them in your hand like they are being covered by a mother hen? Cup your hand, and cover it with your other hand... soft but secure... kind of like the way a newborn baby likes to be wrapped, but loose enough they can kind of wiggle around in your hand. My chicks always relax and go to sleep when I do this.

I've never raised silkies, so I don't know if this is a trait these chicks have or not.

I had a GREAT weekend, worked last night, now I am off tonight, so I am going to go out and work on my set of cages. I am down to building the doors, top and painting. I hope to get the doors built and everything painted today, then I can do a second coat and install the doors and it will be done. It's going to take my hubby's skidsteer to move the thing.

I've got a black ameraucana rooster that I am going to save as my breeder. He is wild. He has been running free range all summer, and he hides in the weeds. I couldn't find him a couple days ago, and I was panicking, thinking perhaps something had killed him. The next day, there he was, out ranging in the pasture. I'm going to try to find where he is roosting and catch him tonight before he becomes owl bait or something. He is a beautiful rooster. He keeps a black ameraucana hen with him that I need to catch, too.