Debbie's Silkies

[Slothinc]

I just love the coloring. Even if she turned out not cuckoo, I'd still love having one or a few like her.

I probably said this before about sex-linked chicks but mine are, and I ignore it. Just today I had a gal asking about buying some of my chicks but wishes she could just get pullets. I could tell her which ones were, but then what am I doing selling someone else 6 chicks with 5 of them known roosters? I couldn't do that.

You will end up with many beautiful babies out of your Bobbi eggs! I seriously can’t wait to see them!! And yes, haha the sex link feature would only be useful in babies I would like to keep for myself I now have a lavender silkie baby and I’m crossing my fingers he can be a boy so that I can get a million lavender split babies from all my hens and finally be able to have more lavender chicks after the splits are bred back or to each other.

 

[Debbie292d]

You will end up with many beautiful babies out of your Bobbi eggs! I seriously can’t wait to see them!! And yes, haha the sex link feature would only be useful in babies I would like to keep for myself I now have a lavender silkie baby and I’m crossing my fingers he can be a boy so that I can get a million lavender split babies from all my hens and finally be able to have more lavender chicks after the splits are bred back or to each other.

Oh, yes. There is a great advantage when we can choose a chick or two to keep and it's what we want sex-wise!!

You know I'll be posting pictures as soon as they hatch! I am excited!!

 

[Debbie292d]

This makes me go hmm!

Our oldest chicken, an old white cochin/silkie probably around 6 or 7, has been going downhill these past few weeks and lately she's not even been her usual biotchy self, not being mean to other chickens, etc. This morning, hubby said she was sitting in the corner on the floor of the coop.

About an hour ago, I went out there and she's standing in the coop, but so was Blueboy (blue silkie rooster). I booted him out and shut the chicken door. Since then, he's been standing by the closed chicken door.

Blueboy has no flock as the old ones have a rooster and Piper is in a pen, so he hangs out with the younger chicks and keeps an eye out for them.

He has no reason to be in the coop at all and never goes in there but at night. I think he knows she's dying and was staying with her. Could he know? I guess I'll just let him go back in there as he wasn't hurting anything but I just thought he shouldn't be in there.

 

[2ndTink]

This makes me go hmm!

Our oldest chicken, an old white cochin/silkie probably around 6 or 7, has been going downhill these past few weeks and lately she's not even been her usual biotchy self, not being mean to other chickens, etc. This morning, hubby said she was sitting in the corner on the floor of the coop.

About an hour ago, I went out there and she's standing in the coop, but so was Blueboy (blue silkie rooster). I booted him out and shut the chicken door. Since then, he's been standing by the closed chicken door.

Blueboy has no flock as the old ones have a rooster and Piper is in a pen, so he hangs out with the younger chicks and keeps an eye out for them.

He has no reason to be in the coop at all and never goes in there but at night. I think he knows she's dying and was staying with her. Could he know? I guess I'll just let him go back in there as he wasn't hurting anything but I just thought he shouldn't be in there.

Hmm, they say animals can sense things like that. As long as he isn't bothering her, I guess there's no harm in him keeping her company. Very interesting.

 

[WoDia]

This makes me go hmm!

Our oldest chicken, an old white cochin/silkie probably around 6 or 7, has been going downhill these past few weeks and lately she's not even been her usual biotchy self, not being mean to other chickens, etc. This morning, hubby said she was sitting in the corner on the floor of the coop.

About an hour ago, I went out there and she's standing in the coop, but so was Blueboy (blue silkie rooster). I booted him out and shut the chicken door. Since then, he's been standing by the closed chicken door.

Blueboy has no flock as the old ones have a rooster and Piper is in a pen, so he hangs out with the younger chicks and keeps an eye out for them.

He has no reason to be in the coop at all and never goes in there but at night. I think he knows she's dying and was staying with her. Could he know? I guess I'll just let him go back in there as he wasn't hurting anything but I just thought he shouldn't be in there.

Debbie, I believe that they DO know when a flock mate is under the weather… or ready to pass on. I’ve sadly seen it too many times in my own flocks. Flocks are complex. Let him be with her. You’ll be glad you let him. When my 9.5 year old Black Australorp (Onyx) was getting ready to pass earlier this year, her daughter (Penguin) and best friend (Maudy, an EE) wouldn’t leave her side. Penguin was so distraught following her mother’s passing, that she went into decline herself and passed away 5 weeks later. I’m sorry your hen’s in decline. We both know it’s NEVER easy to watch them in their final days. Many hugs for you, Debbie.

 

[Debbie292d]

Debbie, I believe that they DO know when a flock mate is under the weather… or ready to pass on. I’ve sadly seen it too many times in my own flocks. Flocks are complex. Let him be with her. You’ll be glad you let him. When my 9.5 year old Black Australorp (Onyx) was getting ready to pass earlier this year, her daughter (Penguin) and best friend (Maudy, an EE) wouldn’t leave her side. Penguin was so distraught following her mother’s passing, that she went into decline herself and passed away 5 weeks later. I’m sorry your hen’s in decline. We both know it’s NEVER easy to watch them in their final days. Many hugs for you, Debbie.

He did go back in. There's a camera in there. They're both just standing in there walking around.

Thank you for your kind words, @WoDia but this chicken has been a thorn in my side all these years. She must be older than I think as she was an adult when someone dumped her on me as they couldn't keep her, her sister, or the rooster. The rooster is wonderful. Her sister died a couple of years ago. Both of those girls were yard tirants. I have had to stand outside when giving them all fermented feed or treats because I'd lay a dish right in front of her face, but as soon as she sees the younger ones have a dish, she chases them off and eats theirs, the exact same thing. So every other day when the ferment is ready, I stand outside for half an hour guarding the younger ones' dish from her. The old rooster and the other hens stay to the first dish.

I am sad, as we've had her so many years, but in a way, her going will bring a little peace around here.

 

[WoDia]

He did go back in. There's a camera in there. They're both just standing in there walking around.

Thank you for your kind words, @WoDia but this chicken has been a thorn in my side all these years. She must be older than I think as she was an adult when someone dumped her on me as they couldn't keep her, her sister, or the rooster. The rooster is wonderful. Her sister died a couple of years ago. Both of those girls were yard tirants. I have had to stand outside when giving them all fermented feed or treats because I'd lay a dish right in front of her face, but as soon as she sees the younger ones have a dish, she chases them off and eats theirs, the exact same thing. So every other day when the ferment is ready, I stand outside for half an hour guarding the younger ones' dish from her. The old rooster and the other hens stay to the first dish.

I am sad, as we've had her so many years, but in a way, her going will bring a little peace around here.

I understand both sides of your situation. Blueboy feels the need to comfort… or protect… a weak flock mate. It’ll be good for him ultimately to let him do what he feels he must do. I lost an extremely ornery Golden Sebright too last autumn. He was a ‘thorn’ in my side. I’m sad that he’s gone, but there’s some extra peace in the flock since his passing.

 

[TwoCrows]

This makes me go hmm!

Our oldest chicken, an old white cochin/silkie probably around 6 or 7, has been going downhill these past few weeks and lately she's not even been her usual biotchy self, not being mean to other chickens, etc. This morning, hubby said she was sitting in the corner on the floor of the coop.

About an hour ago, I went out there and she's standing in the coop, but so was Blueboy (blue silkie rooster). I booted him out and shut the chicken door. Since then, he's been standing by the closed chicken door.

Blueboy has no flock as the old ones have a rooster and Piper is in a pen, so he hangs out with the younger chicks and keeps an eye out for them.

He has no reason to be in the coop at all and never goes in there but at night. I think he knows she's dying and was staying with her. Could he know? I guess I'll just let him go back in there as he wasn't hurting anything but I just thought he shouldn't be in there.

I believe they do know these things, they have to to function as a flock. In order to survive they need to know whats going on with everyone no matter the situation. They form bonds with each other, they know. I am so sorry Debbie, I know exactly how hard it is to watch them go down hill.

 

[RememberTheWay]

Oh my goodness!

No, I haven't culled a pretty one, but I did put a mean pullet in insulation for 3 days because she was terrorizing everyone.

Do you think she's going to go broody and is just having a raging hormone issue?

Hoping this was a typo and you meant isolation! AND NOT ACTUALLY INSULATION!!!!! HAHA

 

[2ndTink]

Hoping this was a typo and you meant isolation! AND NOT ACTUALLY INSULATION!!!!! HAHA

Bahaha, yes typo I use swipe to type on my phone and it gets me in a lot of trouble