Showing feather legs questions

[horsechick]

Hello,
I have 2 questions: basically to do with showing silkies and cochin breeds.

1.) How do you keep thier feet feathers from getting broken?
Do you keep them on wire bottom floors? ground? shavings?
In a wire pen they step on their feet feathers some and can break them that way too or rub them on the sides of the cage. How do you keep them long/fluffy, etc?

2.) How do you remove those PESKY hard pin feathers that enclose a feather? I have tried to squeeze them, crush them and fluff out, tried using a small comb that is really close together to try to pull off etc.
Any suggestions!! HELP!

These two questions have been frustrating me for a while now.
Thought there might be some suggestions here,
Thank you all for your time,
Angela

 

[muzzles&nuzzles]

I want to know how to keep the poo from sticking to their butts!!!

 

[SeramaLife]

muzzles&nuzzles :

I want to know how to keep the poo from sticking to their butts!!!

Baby powder.........​

 

[Smoky73]

Quote:
I have had foot feathers get broken on my silkies no matter what, on wire, shavings or allowed to run in the dirt, it just happens. Before a show (about 2 months) I pull any broken ones out so the new ones have a chance to grow back. Try to keep them on deep clean woodshavings after that but they can still get broken, just hope for the best! The casing on the pin feathers are very hard to remove, I try using a lice comb to remove what I can but its still not perfect.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I've never had a difficult time removing the pin feather casings? Maybe the feathers need to grow in some more?

As far as preventing the foot feathers from getting dirty or breaking, unless you can put a bird into a Star Trek-like stasis, I don't think it is completley preventable. You just have to do your best to give them plenty of room, clean bedding, clean coops and runs.

 

[LilPeeps]

I don't have a problem removing the casings either. I just carefully pick them off with my nails.

Keeping the coop clean with fresh shavings will cut down on broken foot feathers. Also make sure the birds aren't overcrowded.

 

[horsechick]

Hi,
Thanks all for the suggestions.
I have tried the lice comb thing, sometimes it gets the pin feathers out, sometimes it pulls the whole feather. I have tried my fingers, but again sometimes I get the pin, sometimes I get the feather, LOL!

I guess its just a tedious thing when you have feather legs, and silkies really can be hard to keep in show quality. wow.
Thank you all again,
Angela

 

[muzzles&nuzzles]

I think the casings depends on the birds. I had no problem with my blue partridge or white today but the blue I could not break off the casings.

My birds look gorgeous that first spring day I let them out into the run. The it rains..and they roll..etc etc.