My Silies can't see!

[EmmaG32]

Hiya, looking for some guidance or help with my new flock as I am new to chicken wrangling!

I have a little flock of 4 chicks; 2 pekins and 2 silkies, they will be 16 weeks' old this week and as they have been reared together they get along just fine. Surprisingly it'S the tiny pekins that run the show!

I have a raised coop and when they first arrived they didn't quite understand the ramp & hen house but after a few nights of encouraging them up the ramp, the pekins have grasped the bed time routine... the silkies not so much... I have tried putting corn on the ramp to lead them up (failed so far) but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they get the hang of it soon.

My request for help is with my beautiful silkies; apart from them not grasping the ramp, they are also last to the feeder and will sometimes have a few 'missed' packs before getting the pellet or any scattered treats, when they are given the run of the garden (every evening) they don't seem to notice the run door open until encouraged out.

I'm not sure if its just because they are still young and slow to learn, or whether it might be due to poor visibility as they both have particularly fluffy crests! I've tried gently brushing the feathers away from their eyes and it seems to help for a short while. I don't plan on showing them, but I'm wondering whether I should let them work it out for themselves or try to trim the crest or perhaps a hair bobble?!

thanks in advance for any help! EmmaG

 

[Backyard Bounty]

You could give them a trim? Can you post a photo?

 

[EmmaG32]

This isn't the best photo, but its all that I've got with me at the moment.
They can't seem to see forwards or to the sides..

 

[BonDEEroo]

I recently got 3 black silkies of indeterminate age (but probably pretty young, about 18-20 weeks).
They were fairly hopeless too, until we gave them a feather trim. As the birds didn't know us yet it was a 2 person job - one on blunt-tipped scissors, the other person holding the body and wings firmly with one hand and the beak with the other hand. Each one wriggled and resisted for the first eye, then realized it was benefiting them, and stayed still for the second eye without needing the beak held. After, it was obvious they could see better, as they were much more confident and efficient at feeding. They got accepted by the other birds and one started to level up in the pecking order. The other 2 hang out with the lavender araucanas who are bearded and feathery around the face and have a similar problem. I haven't tried hair bobbles, but wouldn't it attract pecking from other birds?

 

[BonDEEroo]

Here's one of the araucanas getting her face trimmed:

 

[BonDEEroo]

The rubber band came off after the trim.

 

[EmmaG32]

I recently got 3 black silkies of indeterminate age (but probably pretty young, about 18-20 weeks).
They were fairly hopeless too, until we gave them a feather trim. As the birds didn't know us yet it was a 2 person job - one on blunt-tipped scissors, the other person holding the body and wings firmly with one hand and the beak with the other hand. Each one wriggled and resisted for the first eye, then realized it was benefiting them, and stayed still for the second eye without needing the beak held. After, it was obvious they could see better, as they were much more confident and efficient at feeding. They got accepted by the other birds and one started to level up in the pecking order. The other 2 hang out with the lavender araucanas who are bearded and feathery around the face and have a similar problem. I haven't tried hair bobbles, but wouldn't it attract pecking from other birds?

I recently got 3 black silkies of indeterminate age (but probably pretty young, about 18-20 weeks).
They were fairly hopeless too, until we gave them a feather trim. As the birds didn't know us yet it was a 2 person job - one on blunt-tipped scissors, the other person holding the body and wings firmly with one hand and the beak with the other hand. Each one wriggled and resisted for the first eye, then realized it was benefiting them, and stayed still for the second eye without needing the beak held. After, it was obvious they could see better, as they were much more confident and efficient at feeding. They got accepted by the other birds and one started to level up in the pecking order. The other 2 hang out with the lavender araucanas who are bearded and feathery around the face and have a similar problem. I haven't tried hair bobbles, but wouldn't it attract pecking from other birds?

Ahh ok, we've been working on getting them used to us and being handled so that we can care for them (lice treatment etc) without causing them distress. They fidget to begin with but do settle before becoming wiggly bums again (but they are getting better).
I'm probably being overly caution but I do think that we need to try a little trim, even if its takes a couple of sittings. When you put the rubber band on the crest - I assume that you trim back the feathers that are left hanging around/near to the eye area?

p.s. I wont be trying the hair bobbles, but is did amuse me somewhat that I someone had suggested it on another website

 

[jaclyncarneal]

Hmm. This is interesting. I have 3 black silkies and they see fine. Heck we even nicknamed one fly catcher because shes the only one out of 11 thats fast enough to get flies and mosquitos. Maybe mine dont have their little fro's grown in yet but I'll definetely keep this post in mind if the time comes.

 

[jaclyncarneal]

Also to get them uses to you faster hand feed them tasty treats. It works like a charm. Except now when i go outside they all chase me for treats i dont have and peck at my hands searching.

 

[BonDEEroo]

Yes, just trimming the bits that aren't held by the rubber band above each eye seemed to work. Or you could just get in there and trim without a rubber band - but it makes them look really funny and they don't seem to mind.