Juvenile Silkie missing neck feathers

[KellyReed]

I have two very spoiled Silkie hens, less than a year old. Being new to chickens I wish I would have gotten more in the beginning, they are addictive. I have a neighbor who has too many juvenile Silkies so I wanted to take 4 from her. My concern is, the picture she showed me has a couple of juveniles without neck feathers! It looks like they are not kept well, certainly overcrowded...my question is, with the right environment and diet would it be ok to take these babies? I will have completely separate housing for a couple of weeks but I don’t know if this is something that would affect my other two hens or if it’s just because of their housing. Any advice is welcome. I have lots of space, protected runs and fenced yards for free ranging. These pictures are NOT my setup. These are the ones I want to give a good home to.

 

[aart]

Any chance they are crossed with Turken(naked necks)?

 

[KellyReed]

Any chance they are crossed with Turken(naked necks)?

IDK I'll ask. That was my first thought....

 

[Mrs. K]

that was my thought too, the one without feathers on its neck does not look pecked to me, looks like no feathers.

I would examine these birds carefully for lice or mites. Google it so you know what you are looking for. However, space would drastically help these birds. Even in that tight of space, they are bright eyed and appear active. I think a good bath, and a week in more space, you might not even recognize these birds. They look rather dreary, but I think it is just muck from being too tightly confined. That set up is a wreck waiting to happen, but it does not appear to have happened yet.

Do not take anything with dull eyes, lethargic behavior, nasal discharge or a cough. And if ANY of the birds in that set up, have any symptoms, walk away. That close of confinement, and they are all waiting to be sick.

Mrs K

 

[KellyReed]

that was my thought too, the one without feathers on its neck does not look pecked to me, looks like no feathers.

I would examine these birds carefully for lice or mites. Google it so you know what you are looking for. However, space would drastically help these birds. Even in that tight of space, they are bright eyed and appear active. I think a good bath, and a week in more space, you might not even recognize these birds. They look rather dreary, but I think it is just muck from being too tightly confined. That set up is a wreck waiting to happen, but it does not appear to have happened yet.

Do not take anything with dull eyes, lethargic behavior, nasal discharge or a cough. And if ANY of the birds in that set up, have any symptoms, walk away. That close of confinement, and they are all waiting to be sick.

Mrs K

Thank you soooo much! I am a novice and I know I can offer a few of these babies a better life but I don't want to do it at the risk of my 2 others. Thank you for the advice on what to look for!

 

[BlueBaby]

The white one look's like breeder was attempting to make some showgirl's.