Partridge Silkies - Nothing else

[NewToFarming]

Pennie very cute chicks! They are so cute and I didn't even notice the poopy butt until you mentioned it! LOL

 

[pennie1]

I have a question for all of you show people. I will be going to a couple of shows this year with my partridge kids. I am a first timer and am just wondering if you let your show chickens outside or keep them inside in small cages to condition them? Hopefully, I can run this as a poll and get a lot of answers to your thoughts on conditioning. They are already getting fed the ultimate diet - game bird, crimped oats, flax seed, scratch, steamed barley, mixed with wheat germ oil and red cell. They also get a vitamin boost in their water. Am I missing anything?

 

[Bat Cave Silkies]

pennie~~the only thing I would add to your current feed mix is----probiotic powder and Selenium+E powder sprinkled on their food once each week.

I'd love to see a poll on who cages for show conditioning. I don't; foot feathers aren't perfect, I've just got a "thing" about the Silkies having the happiest, most natural chicken life than can have.

 

[chikincrazee]

I feed an 18% layer and then add some extra protein from a game bird feed to bump it up to 20%....do a scratch mix of calf manna, steamed oats, sunflower chips.steamed barley, Milo,red wheat, and a little cracked corn.....some birds I keep alone in cages with shavings and have huge foot feathering and some are in a small flock situation and I am trying some on wire but it's vinyl coated as I think the straight wire is too hard on feathers....I also feed wheat germ or cod liver oil and some red cell and a couple of times a month a wet mash with kefir in it for the probiotics ...they love the strawberry flavored one....I think how you manage the show bird depends on it's nature as I have some girls who thrive in a flock and show fine and others who need to be separated food feather condition.....I am experimenting with that new supplement YQ Dr Cheekes by King feeds it's a herbal type supplement suppose to be good fro birds under stress.

 

[pennie1]

S*&(. I knew I forgot something. It's such a da@% long list. I do add Brewers Yeast and Priobotic. These little suckers eat FAR better than I do. I also give them yogurt maybe twice a week. Plus goodies from the house.
I feel the same the same way you do. These are my babies and I want them to be happy. It's just that birds that I get from Connie seem heavier. You can feel that they are more filled out. Some of them are starting, but it just seems to be taking forever. I guess the watched pot never boils.

So, how have things been going for you. I haven't talked to anyone in so long.
But, back to the question... Come on everyone. Let's hear your imput on this question.

 

[pennie1]

This is stupid... I keep forgetting stuff. I also give sunflower chips and safflower seeds. When the kids are inside they are on deep shavings. Even some of my pens are covered to keep out the sun and they have deep shavings. The show girls are in deep shavings inside, but I have been letting them out in the grass. It's regular lawn grass. Not weedy. Just a nice cushioned lawn. I don't worry about grass stains at this point because they are partridge and have dark feet.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

I don't show but I want to make sure my birds get a good diet. so to all my birds every 3-4 weeks I buy feed and mix it in a plastic covered barrel : 50 lb layer, 50 lb game, 25 lb grain mix from local co-op (can't remember all thats in it, - know its got cracked corn, oats, flax, boss, millet, think its got something else) and add redcell and probiotics. when I started doing this mix last year I seen a big difference in my existing flock and the new birds I've added to it. Its magnificient. My silkies (when not broody

) lay nearly every day, my younger birds I put out starter for them but they have access to the adult food as well and have grown exceptionally well and they all look shiny, healthy, and "bright eyed and bushy tailed"

 

[NewToFarming]

I only attended one show and I didn't and don't plan too cage them prior to a show. I also think they need a more normal life as well. Now with that being said I do plan to attend more shows but will have to wait a bit for my one partridge boy. He has it out for another roo and got into a tassle with him and his top knot is almost gone so it will be awhile until they grow back enough to show him again. So my pretty boy is not so pretty now. LOL

So, I might hold off on showing until some more of these boys are rehomed. I have so many broodies too that my girls aren't in the best looking condition either. It seems they also lose alot of their topknot when they brood???

 

[Bat Cave Silkies]

NewToFarming~~my girls lose alot of everything when they brood---weight, feather sheen, color--- but I don't "break" broodies either. When one of my girls go broody, I'll find a couple of eggs and let them set, hatch and raise the chicks for at least 2 weeks.
Again---just the way I do it...I know alot of breeders prefer to break their broodies so they don't lose the eggs that girl would be laying. But, for me, I know that broodiness is brought on by a horomonal change---I don't want to screw around with my girls' normal bodily functions; in the long run, I think it might not be healthy to break a broody.

 

[pennie1]

Quote:
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?