Silkie Help

[HeatherKellyB]

Good morning BYC! I have 3 Silkies that are part of a mixed flock. 1 Pullet and 2 cockerels. My Pullet is 17 weeks old and she is so tiny that I worry about her. She gets around just fine, she eats and drinks on her own, most nights she'll get on the silkie roosting bar (the low roots) by herself, and she even stands up for herself anytime she feel threatened by the others, except for the cockerel that she just runs away from, but I worry that I am missing something that is causing her to not grow. She is boney and just so small. I know that cockerels of the same breed are typically larger, but the difference is pretty large. She eats flock raiser or all flock (whichever is freshest) and goes to bed with a full crop and wakes up empty. I have 3 feeders and I know she eats from them. Even when I make her mash (feed + water) she just doesn't seem to grow very much. Of course she has grown since hatch, but I am worried about her size now, especially with the upcoming winter.

The cockerel, "Zane", is pictured here with "Bella" & he is a week younger but significantly larger. Any tips or suggestions that might put some weight on her? I don't want to fatten up the flock, but she needs some weight on her, desperately. Thank you so much for any help you can provide

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Beautiful babies! I also have silkies, and have had a couple just grow slower. What are you currently feeding them? You can make a warm mash out of their feed to get her to eat more, or look into some things to supplement protein.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

They eat All Flock or Flock Raisers. I make her a warm mash oftentimes but honestly, I don't see a difference in her if I make it or not. She eats it, but she eats the dry feed if I don't make her mash. She is such a laid back bird

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I thought about getting a small bag of meat bird crumble just to make her mash. I wonder if that would help her at least put on a little bit of healthy weight? I don't want to end up with an unhealthy bird, but I'd feel so much better if she either gained a little bit of weight or grew a little bit.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

@Kiki, don't you know quite a bit about nutrition and feeding? If so, do you have any suggestions? Please accept my apologies if I am mistaken.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I thought about getting a small bag of meat bird crumble just to make her mash. I wonder if that would help her at least put on a little bit of healthy weight? I don't want to end up with an unhealthy bird, but I'd feel so much better if she either gained a little bit of weight or grew a little bit.

I bred them for a few years... they are called bantam for a reason.

If she is eating and acting normal... not brooding her life away... meat bird crumble will not benefit you over Flock Raiser IMO... they are about equal in amino acids... from what I can remember when reading the labels. Besides... game bird starter is is way higher on protein than that... but not recommended, just saying.

 

[Kiki]

There are quite a few different brands of all flock type feeds...which brand do you use?


Do you feed anything besides the complete feed...any treats?

And...did you happen to have to treat her for Coccidiosis in the past?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I use Purina Flock Raisers or Nutrena All Flock. Occasionally I'll give them scrambled egg, or craisins, or raisins, but this is maybe twice a week, and I feed each bird treats individually to make sure they don't get too much. I'm not sure if it makes a difference or not, but anytime they get treats, it's right before bed. I like to treat them with mash (feed + water) as they go crazy for it!

I did treat her (I treated the entire flock) with Corid but it was more of a precaution because I was worried and unsure. Looking back, I feel like I was their problem because the amount of extra junk they were getting was absolutely ridiculous (and quite embarrassing as I didn't realize exactly how much crap they were getting until I actually typed it all out). I am very careful about treats now because I know treats can wreck havoc on multiple aspects of a birds health.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I did the full treatment of Corid. The severe outbreak dosage for 7 days (possibly even 10 days) and then the lesser dosage for another 10 days, I believe. I used the liquid Corid 2 teaspoons in 1 gallon of water in the beginning and then 0.5 teaspoons in a gallon of water after

 

[Kiki]

I use Purina Flock Raisers or Nutrena All Flock. Occasionally I'll give them scrambled egg, or craisins, or raisins, but this is maybe twice a week, and I feed each bird treats individually to make sure they don't get too much. I'm not sure if it makes a difference or not, but anytime they get treats, it's right before bed. I like to treat them with mash (feed + water) as they go crazy for it!

I did treat her (I treated the entire flock) with Corid but it was more of a precaution because I was worried and unsure. Looking back, I feel like I was their problem because the amount of extra junk they were getting was absolutely ridiculous (and quite embarrassing as I didn't realize exactly how much crap they were getting until I actually typed it all out). I am very careful about treats now because I know treats can wreck havoc on multiple aspects of a birds health.

I'd stop all treats and feed only the complete balanced feed if I were you.
It really is better for their health.