Partridge Silkies - Nothing else

[pennie1]

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I agree. Let them do what they feel that they have to do.

Anybody ever try to mess with you when you're "broody"?

 

[pennie1]

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Yep. My youngsters have access to the adult food and they seem to prefer that. Now the youngsters are about 4 wks. old before they are turned loose with everyone else.

 

[NewToFarming]

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I like the way you think because I feel the same way!

I do let mine raise them as long as they want to right now. I didn't have a whole lot of silkies but with the upcoming hatches, I might have to rethink that because I will be in chicks up to my ears very soon! I believe in letting nature take it's course and since it is a hormonal change, it can't be good for them to try to break them of it. I am not concerned about losing eggs right now because I do not have a way to separate the silkies from the mixes right now until I am able to rehome some of these boys so I can only sell eggs that are of a mixed variety right now. These broodies sure make you tired though!!! LOL I have 9 brooding and 5 that have chicks now and I am exhausted! LOL But I think silkies are destined to be moms and they are their happiest when you let them be a mom. They might not be the prettiest but they are happy!

 

[NewToFarming]

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I don't know if it's because they are broody. I know mine lost most of hers because of the roo she was with. She literally looks like she has been through a feather plucker. Maybe yours is molting too? I really don't know.
How are you by the way?

I think it was the broodiness that made her topknot sparse because it is in the front too. I can actually see a face now on her! LOL But her broody mate, (they were inseparable) is completely bald on the back of her head and I think the other girl was picking at her when they were brooding together. These silkies are crazy!

Thanks for asking! I got my coop all reinforced and I don't think anything else can get in there!!! It was alot of work and it was so stinking hot but I got it done this weekend, so far so good. No other fatalities since the one chick!!! Now I can stop worrying about them so much and not have dreams that vampires are after my chickens!

LOL

How is your little one doing? My little spraddle leg chick didn't pull through.

 

[huckleberryfarm]

l've never used Red Cell. Is it the one for horses? How much do you use for Silkies?

 

[pennie1]

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Yep, exact same one. For a 1 gallon bucket of feed I use about 1 tbls. and then mix that with 2 tbls. of the wheat germ oil.

 

[pennie1]

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I don't know if it's because they are broody. I know mine lost most of hers because of the roo she was with. She literally looks like she has been through a feather plucker. Maybe yours is molting too? I really don't know.
How are you by the way?

I think it was the broodiness that made her topknot sparse because it is in the front too. I can actually see a face now on her! LOL But her broody mate, (they were inseparable) is completely bald on the back of her head and I think the other girl was picking at her when they were brooding together. These silkies are crazy!

Thanks for asking! I got my coop all reinforced and I don't think anything else can get in there!!! It was alot of work and it was so stinking hot but I got it done this weekend, so far so good. No other fatalities since the one chick!!! Now I can stop worrying about them so much and not have dreams that vampires are after my chickens!

LOL

How is your little one doing? My little spraddle leg chick didn't pull through.

Actually, the little blind one is doing quite well. I have it in with 7 others about the same age and it is fine. It's very spoiled. I have watched it move around and find the water and food, but every now and then it starts screaming (when it hears my voice). I go over and talk to it and pick it up and then put it by the water and it takes a little drink; then I put it by the food and it will eat a little bit. It's funny to watch it eat because it doesn't know exactly where to peck. AND it won't eat much unless I mix the food with hard boiled egg ("Pete is that you?") and yogurt. Very spoiled.

I'm so sorry to hear about your little one. It's sad when you take extra effort and it just can't make it.
It's great to know that your problems seem to be over in the barn.

 

[chikincrazee]

Hi you all....be careful adding extra selenium to your mix if it already has red cell in it as it has some selenium in it already...Pennie I hope the twin pullets girls are some of the ones filling out...lol....I have noticed Connies birds are fuller too I have some which are getting that way but I too feel it takes me longer ...my hens are on and off broody all the time and do they look awful I have one buff whos head looks half scalped...i have removed all the roosters for now as my splashes were going bald but slowly they are all growing back feathers...I have all the young boys together and they are scrapping somewhat but so far no pulled feathers....I have one more vacation coming up and then it will be serious show fitting time...I dont have any of mine outside too many wild animals and the one group of old birds who do have access to the great outdoors prefer to sit in the coop and sunbath in the sunlight that comes into the coop when i open the big door for the day....my silver partridge chick is looking good but sadly my littlest partridge looks like its getting a bit of a crooked beak??????i trimmed it back and hope that helps...any suggestions?????...i think it was an incubation mishap as my last hatch was not good as far as crooked toes I gave them too much hatching room....Chris

 

[NewToFarming]

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I think it was the broodiness that made her topknot sparse because it is in the front too. I can actually see a face now on her! LOL But her broody mate, (they were inseparable) is completely bald on the back of her head and I think the other girl was picking at her when they were brooding together. These silkies are crazy!

Thanks for asking! I got my coop all reinforced and I don't think anything else can get in there!!! It was alot of work and it was so stinking hot but I got it done this weekend, so far so good. No other fatalities since the one chick!!! Now I can stop worrying about them so much and not have dreams that vampires are after my chickens!

LOL

How is your little one doing? My little spraddle leg chick didn't pull through.

Actually, the little blind one is doing quite well. I have it in with 7 others about the same age and it is fine. It's very spoiled. I have watched it move around and find the water and food, but every now and then it starts screaming (when it hears my voice). I go over and talk to it and pick it up and then put it by the water and it takes a little drink; then I put it by the food and it will eat a little bit. It's funny to watch it eat because it doesn't know exactly where to peck. AND it won't eat much unless I mix the food with hard boiled egg ("Pete is that you?") and yogurt. Very spoiled.

I'm so sorry to hear about your little one. It's sad when you take extra effort and it just can't make it.
It's great to know that your problems seem to be over in the barn.

Thanks, it was a cute little partridge one too!
Well, you did it!!! You have now spoiled the little blind chick! I still have to make my blind girls mash twice a day! LOL You will have to make her special treat forever now!

I don't mind though, then I know she is getting the extra nutrition she needs because it is twice as hard for her to eat because she doesn't "connect" as often. You might also notice her holding her head in strange ways too. I think mine does it in an attempt to get her bearings on where she is at.

 

[pennie1]

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I have only had 1 crooked beak issue (knock on wood and praise the lord) so far. I'm pretty sure mine was an incubation thing because I had a lot of temp. spikes and drops and a more than usual mortality rate. The 1 chick with the crooked beak also had a crippled foot. I really liked that littel guy but ended up putting him down. I don't take the time with crooked beaks. For some reason that's not a cause that I care to undertake. I had some back when I had my laying chickens and I just put all of them down. By all, I mean a total of 3 with the little crippled Silkie.
I know this hatch is not a good one. With the power outage for 12 hrs. it just totally messed up everything. I have lost 4 eggs so far and then I had the blind one. I can't wait for this to be over. I am done for the year and have got to invest in a new bator. I should have quit while I was ahead.
You should see some of the babies from the second hatch that I had. I have got some drop dead gorgeous little pullets. The boys aren't bad either. I have quite a few black ones - some with red necks or leakage that will go very well in a breeding program to improve the dark chests and under fluff.
As it turns out, the boys that I ended up with from the 1st. hatch are getting prettier by the day. I'm glad Connie told me to hold on to them. Talk about fluffy!!! On some of them their under fluff seems to be getting darker. I have 1 that personally I think would go well in a blue partridge breeding program. He's very red with a lighter under fluff. He too is developing a very nice fluff to him. I will probably end up showing several birds at the shows that I go to. I will also bring many to sell.