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Huh? It's about 16% protein. Could you explain your theory?
Huh? It's about 16% protein. Could you explain your theory?
Raising Silkies...please provide your knowledge!
- Thread starter klugshorses
- Start date
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great ideas! love the pics...hoping for a broody!
Thanks, The pullet with babies is now in the nursery coop and the other one now has 4 babies a few days old and will soon get moved out of the house to make room for the next in line. Sooo, kfchickenlady, if you have a female Silkie you WILL have a broody!
great ideas! love the pics...hoping for a broody!
Thanks, The pullet with babies is now in the nursery coop and the other one now has 4 babies a few days old and will soon get moved out of the house to make room for the next in line. Sooo, kfchickenlady, if you have a female Silkie you WILL have a broody!
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- #23
Carol.in.WV :
A few things I've tried that the silkies seem to like are: using a black plastic tub designed for mixing concrete and then half filled with play sand as a roost. I put it on top of some other tubs so that its about 2-3' off ground level and the silkies have another tub to hop on to get up too it. They perch on the edge and poop in the sand which is easily cleaned out with a kitty litter scoop. Some will also lay eggs in the sand or sleep there but most hang on the edge. The sand provides enough weight so the birds don't tip the tub over. For nesting I give them a plastic tub filled with shavings .....I would use straw but it's not readily available here. They like the darkness to lay eggs in. I also use it for broody hens as well as a cheap plastic dishpan filled with sawdust. Sometimes I use a 12x12 square box with shavings for a nest for broodys....the advantage of both the box and tubs is if your broody should get mites (and in my experience it was the broodys that got them first) you can burn the box with shavings or the contents of the dishpan or tub and sterilize it easily with bleach.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/44307_451102.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/44307_003.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/44307_451101.jpg
For dusting a big low tub such as the black ones sold in hardware stores seems about the right size. Again you could use play sand and put some DE in it. I made the mistake once of just giving them DE for a dust bath and the dust is incredible, gets into everything.
Awesome information, thanks so much and the pics helped a lot! I am going to go pick up some tubs this weekend! I want some silkie babies!
A few things I've tried that the silkies seem to like are: using a black plastic tub designed for mixing concrete and then half filled with play sand as a roost. I put it on top of some other tubs so that its about 2-3' off ground level and the silkies have another tub to hop on to get up too it. They perch on the edge and poop in the sand which is easily cleaned out with a kitty litter scoop. Some will also lay eggs in the sand or sleep there but most hang on the edge. The sand provides enough weight so the birds don't tip the tub over. For nesting I give them a plastic tub filled with shavings .....I would use straw but it's not readily available here. They like the darkness to lay eggs in. I also use it for broody hens as well as a cheap plastic dishpan filled with sawdust. Sometimes I use a 12x12 square box with shavings for a nest for broodys....the advantage of both the box and tubs is if your broody should get mites (and in my experience it was the broodys that got them first) you can burn the box with shavings or the contents of the dishpan or tub and sterilize it easily with bleach.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/44307_451102.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/44307_003.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/44307_451101.jpg
For dusting a big low tub such as the black ones sold in hardware stores seems about the right size. Again you could use play sand and put some DE in it. I made the mistake once of just giving them DE for a dust bath and the dust is incredible, gets into everything.
Awesome information, thanks so much and the pics helped a lot! I am going to go pick up some tubs this weekend! I want some silkie babies!
- Thread starter
- #24
Quote:
Great thanks, I will look into a few of these and see what I can get. THANKS!
Great thanks, I will look into a few of these and see what I can get. THANKS!
Quote:
Huh? It's about 16% protein. Could you explain your theory?
Well if you're starting at 18% and trying to raise it to 20%...
Anyways, 16% is pretty low for silkies unless you are trying to force a molt. FWIW, my black oil sunflower says its 15%. But I do realize that percentages can change slightly based upon various things such as the soil in which the plant was grown.
Huh? It's about 16% protein. Could you explain your theory?
Well if you're starting at 18% and trying to raise it to 20%...
Anyways, 16% is pretty low for silkies unless you are trying to force a molt. FWIW, my black oil sunflower says its 15%. But I do realize that percentages can change slightly based upon various things such as the soil in which the plant was grown.
I'm sure she'd be using starter/layer and just supplementing with the boss. Let's not try to confuse the OP....simple is best for everyone.
Just to make it clear, I DO belive black oil sunflowfer and safflower seed are GOOD for the birds. But while they DOraise fat content, they usually lower the protein.
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