Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[only1bgirl]

Here are a few of my Partridge ladies....the last pic is still a juvie and she will be darker than the other 2 hens....her crest will contrast more with her color....Moorehead is what the darker Parti's are called (I'm pretty sure...if I'm wrong correct me )

They're gorgeous! Love the red coloring too!

 

[TallyChickens]

was hoping you could help me. I heard through the grape vine that you all have a lot of experience with silkies and I do not. I hatched eggs, got 3 silkies. One silkie is just a mess. The little chick is not gaining balance and coordination, eating and drinking little, not feathering on its back and moves his head in an s motion when he drinks or eats. He has improved sooooo much in the last few days with electrolytes, probiotics, nutridrench and lots lots lots of love and attention and dropper feeding. I posted on backyard chickens and someone said this could be a genetic problem and that perhaps I had a Mentally ill chick. this seems far fetched to me. Any advice? I'm sorry to bother you with this, just hoping someone will have some answer. I do not want to cull this chick, I have grown very fond of him/her.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

[COLOR=373E4D]was hoping you could help me. I heard through the grape vine that you all have a lot of experience with silkies and I do not. I hatched eggs, got 3 silkies. One silkie is just a mess. The little chick is not gaining balance and coordination, eating and drinking little, not feathering on its back and moves his head in an s motion when he drinks or eats. He has improved sooooo much in the last few days with electrolytes, probiotics, nutridrench and lots lots lots of love and attention and dropper feeding. I posted on backyard chickens and someone said this could be a genetic problem and that perhaps I had a Mentally ill chick. this seems far fetched to me. Any advice? I'm sorry to bother you with this, just hoping someone will have some answer. I do not want to cull this chick, I have grown very fond of him/her.[/COLOR]

I have very little experience with silkies but I've read somewhere about using vitamin E and Selenium in an eye dropper to help. I used it to help a poult that had wry neck, weak legs, and ruptured yolk sack. The little guy improved dramatically over the following week. He died at 2 weeks old unfortunately from something totally unrelated to his issues at hatch. It's something you could try. I used to mix 1/4 tablet of selenium with a few drops of vitamin E and water it down with some water with save a chick electrolytes in it and give it through an eye dropper. I also force fed scrambled eggs (though it was only a couple days before he was tearing the eggs from my fingers). Good luck and please keep us posted!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

[COLOR=373E4D]was hoping you could help me. I heard through the grape vine that you all have a lot of experience with silkies and I do not. I hatched eggs, got 3 silkies. One silkie is just a mess. The little chick is not gaining balance and coordination, eating and drinking little, not feathering on its back and moves his head in an s motion when he drinks or eats. He has improved sooooo much in the last few days with electrolytes, probiotics, nutridrench and lots lots lots of love and attention and dropper feeding. I posted on backyard chickens and someone said this could be a genetic problem and that perhaps I had a Mentally ill chick. this seems far fetched to me. Any advice? I'm sorry to bother you with this, just hoping someone will have some answer. I do not want to cull this chick, I have grown very fond of him/her.[/COLOR]

Yes, vitamin E and Selenium as recommended by Aurora, or Poly-vi-sol w/o iron may help. It could be a genetic issue, a nutritional deficiency or a neurological problem (usually caused by a head injury). Also, if you're feeding medicated chick starter, switching to a non medicated starter would probably be a good idea. The medication (typically amrollium) is a thiamine blocker, which starves out the cocci protozoa. However, in some it can bring on wry neck.

I hope your little Silkie gets better!

 

[TallyChickens]

Thanks so much for all the responses. I will be trying all of this! Does anyone have any idea why after 5 days he won't fluff out?

 

[paddock36]

The chick might have some remnants on his feather from when he was in the shell. I've had that happen and it makes them look wet.

 

[silkiefluff]

Thanks so much for all the responses. I will be trying all of this! Does anyone have any idea why after 5 days he won't fluff out?

If it's crusty, it's most likely "egg goo". You may have to wash it off. Use warm water and dry as well and gently as possible, then put back directly under the heat.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

OK silkie experts. I need to ask you all a question. I have 2 silkies that are about 8-10 weeks old. I believe that they are non bearded but they both have little waddles already. Does that mean that they're both boys?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

OK silkie experts. I need to ask you all a question. I have 2 silkies that are about 8-10 weeks old. I believe that they are non bearded but they both have little waddles already. Does that mean that they're both boys?

Not necessarily. Google non bearded Silkie hens and check out some pictures, some of those girls have some impressive head gear!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Not necessarily. Google non bearded Silkie hens and check out some pictures, some of those girls have some impressive head gear!

Thank you for the reassurance. Here are some pictures i took today. They're not great because i had to use my tablet and you can't really see the wattles in them. Don't mind their hairdos. I give fermented feed so they wear a lot of it lol.