Debbie's Silkies

[Debbie292d]

I have suspected Iris, the blind pullet I took for someone, actually can see pretty good for some time. Today, I was convinced when I saw her gently pecking the mash off of Nosy's cross-beak. Nosy just let her do it for a few seconds. I wish I'd had my phone at the time to get a picture.

It's great if she turns out normal, but the last thing I wanted was another black hen as I have three in the breeding pen as it is. I'll figure something out though. Once we get the breeding coop done, maybe I can put all the black hens in one with one of these roosters. I'll have to research a bit unless anyone's got an idea.

As a side note, that gal who asked me if I'd take Iris gets her chicks from Silky Smooth Chicks who I've seen recommended on the Silky site on FB. So, maybe Iris has some good genes in her! I haven't been concerned about it but if she turns out to be fine, then she might wind up being one of my better ones.

 

[2ndTink]

I have suspected Iris, the blind pullet I took for someone, actually can see pretty good for some time. Today, I was convinced when I saw her gently pecking the mash off of Nosy's cross-beak. Nosy just let her do it for a few seconds. I wish I'd had my phone at the time to get a picture.

It's great if she turns out normal, but the last thing I wanted was another black hen as I have three in the breeding pen as it is. I'll figure something out though. Once we get the breeding coop done, maybe I can put all the black hens in one with one of these roosters. I'll have to research a bit unless anyone's got an idea.

As a side note, that gal who asked me if I'd take Iris gets her chicks from Silky Smooth Chicks who I've seen recommended on the Silky site on FB. So, maybe Iris has some good genes in her! I haven't been concerned about it but if she turns out to be fine, then she might wind up being one of my better ones.

Oh wow, she definitely would have to see pretty well to get mash off Nosy's beak! Or maybe she's super near sighted?

Maybe for some reason she really shut down and it just seemed she was blind but she actually wasn't?

Black hens are versatile

 

[Debbie292d]

Oh wow, she definitely would have to see pretty well to get mash off Nosy's beak! Or maybe she's super near sighted?

Maybe for some reason she really shut down and it just seemed she was blind but she actually wasn't?

Black hens are versatile

I don't know, considering when I got her, she was skin and bones. She made it sound like she hatched that way. Iris probably have been dead in a week had she stayed there.

I started out syringe-feeding her, then the parrot baby food balls for a few days, and she was gaining some weight back. She stumbled around the brooder, stepping in her food and water until Michael made a way to hook those to the side of the brooder. Then she could feed herself as she either knew or saw where the food/water was.

We went through about two weeks like this until I tried her in the pen with the little ones. That night, she walked into the hutch just like she knew what she was supposed to do and she's lived with them ever since. Prior to that, I thought she might have a little sight, but I wasn't positive until I saw that.

Maybe you're right that it's near-sightedness and blind otherwise unless it's in front of her. I suppose in time of observation, I'll figure it out but she does see, if only partially.

 

[2ndTink]

I don't know, considering when I got her, she was skin and bones. She made it sound like she hatched that way. Iris probably have been dead in a week had she stayed there.

I started out syringe-feeding her, then the parrot baby food balls for a few days, and she was gaining some weight back. She stumbled around the brooder, stepping in her food and water until Michael made a way to hook those to the side of the brooder. Then she could feed herself as she either knew or saw where the food/water was.

We went through about two weeks like this until I tried her in the pen with the little ones. That night, she walked into the hutch just like she knew what she was supposed to do and she's lived with them ever since. Prior to that, I thought she might have a little sight, but I wasn't positive until I saw that.

Maybe you're right that it's near-sightedness and blind otherwise unless it's in front of her. I suppose in time of observation, I'll figure it out but she does see, if only partially.

That's wonderful, I'm so glad she has some independence. You've done an amazing job with her

 

[Debbie292d]

That's wonderful, I'm so glad she has some independence. You've done an amazing job with her

Awe, thank you. But I know you've done pretty much the same thing before too.

We just care so much for them and want them to be happy and have a good life with us. When the chicks or chickens jump in the air and flap around, we can tell they're happy, and that's enough right there!

 

[2ndTink]

Awe, thank you. But I know you've done pretty much the same thing before too.

We just care so much for them and want them to be happy and have a good life with us. When the chicks or chickens jump in the air and flap around, we can tell they're happy, and that's enough right there!

Happy chicks and chickens are so heart filling!

 

[TwoCrows]

I don't know, considering when I got her, she was skin and bones. She made it sound like she hatched that way. Iris probably have been dead in a week had she stayed there.

I started out syringe-feeding her, then the parrot baby food balls for a few days, and she was gaining some weight back. She stumbled around the brooder, stepping in her food and water until Michael made a way to hook those to the side of the brooder. Then she could feed herself as she either knew or saw where the food/water was.

We went through about two weeks like this until I tried her in the pen with the little ones. That night, she walked into the hutch just like she knew what she was supposed to do and she's lived with them ever since. Prior to that, I thought she might have a little sight, but I wasn't positive until I saw that.

Maybe you're right that it's near-sightedness and blind otherwise unless it's in front of her. I suppose in time of observation, I'll figure it out but she does see, if only partially.

Maybe she was a bit nutrient starved? I am super glad she has developed some ability to see!

 

[Debbie292d]

Maybe she was a bit nutrient starved? I am super glad she has developed some ability to see!

It really wasn't expected as I had resigned myself to taking care of a blind chicken and figured we'd figure ways to make her life the best we could. This was such a relief to know as now I may watch how she does once left out to free-range. Next post for the update.

 

[Debbie292d]

We have been training the "buff batch" that consist of two whites (cockerel and pullet0, Cole the black rooster, and five buffs, three of which are roosters, who slept in the aviary to go to the coop. They are nearly 5 months old.

Today we cleaned the aviary and moved the ones from the pen to there. We'll keep them penned up in there for a few days, then open the door for supervised free-ranging. Iris will be among them. Miracle, may not.

I've been noticing since this weather turned colder (20s) he's not seeming too lively. Hunched up and sitting around while the others are scratching and playing, though does go eat and drink, then back to hunched up and sitting. Not sick, just not himself. I brought him in. He ate, drank, and went to sleep in the corner of the brooder. I'll give him some of the baby parrot food tomorrow. He doesn't need the extra fat, but the rest of it might help. His poop is still a bit thin and runs down his extended butt. There are no feathers there, as I had cut them all off, but it still makes a mess on him. It isn't that bad, but the poor thing has gone this way its entire life (9 weeks). I've already tried probiotics, but I've got that in his water, so trying again.

I know we've all thought he's probably got internal injuries, but if he's lived this long with those, he's obviously adapted to surviving, just with these digestive issues.

I know putting him back outside will be nearly impossible unless we get a day above 30 and the sun, so he may be in here for a bit.

 

[Debbie292d]

Coop transition day six was on their own!

The "buff batch", on their third day had gone to the coop on their own which was a fluke and unheard of. This was more like an escort as the first day they're running all over the place.

We call the time the chickens start heading to their coops the witching hour. Never thought of how appropriate it was that hubby uses two brooms.

They now know to wait until the two yard nemesis, Pierre and Peachy, go in the coop, then they go. This is it! Transition accomplished!




Myra (formerly Miracle) is still in the house, but this weekend, it should hit the 40s, so she's going back to her siblings! Her poop is normal again, so the probiotics, and staying warm helped. I've started the fermenting up again so to be sure they're getting those at least 2-3 times a week again.

You can see Myra still looks a little bloated here. That's something she's always had but is better than her first week or two. She's now 12 weeks in a few days.


She lays here at night sometimes while I type, until Stella the cat comes as that's her bed. Then Myra goes back to the brooder.


The aviary crew, left to right:

Louie, the only normal one of the 1/6 hen-hatched, Myra's sibling; Nosy, the crossbeak, also their sibling. Tina the buff belongs with the other seven who go to the coop, but she stays with these guys. In front is Iris, the partially blind pullet. To the right are Missie, a partridge, and Pete and Patty, the paints.


See that glass jar waterer in there? It froze and broke, duh. What was I thinking? We've got a plastic one for it too. It freezes each night so I was giving them a fresh one each morning, instead of going out at night and bringing it in the house.

I feared that Nosy might not get water from the nipple bucket, but the only one that runs up to it each morning is Iris. So that means he, being the crossbeak, must be getting enough water from the nipple bucket, or he'd surely have shown he was thirsty by now as I've been doing this for a few days. That's good news to me! Iris, well, she's just going to have to figure it out then, and maybe already did as it's not like she's dying of thirst when I set it down either. I'll keep doing it through the weekend though.