- Aug 23, 2020
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First of all, I'm not sure how I ended up with bantam silkies. If any of you have seen the video clip going around where a lady says that she tripped near the chicks at TSC and she doesn't know how it happened but chicks just fell into a box, that fell into her cart, and onto the register, and then into her car. I completely understand, I am also clumsy at times and this completely explains how I came home from TSC last Saturday with 4 bantam chicks mysteriously in a box, on my lap, in the truck. Well, once they were in the truck of course I had to get then somewhere warm with food and water so into the brooder they went with the 7 other chicks that somehow ended up riding home with us 2 weeks prior. (This was a "no new chickens" year)
I made the little silkies a hide, they took to it right away, but one also took to trying to eat the comb off the head of a bigger chick, like full on beak clamped down thrashing its little body back and forth trying to rip the poor chicks single comb off its head. I was watching for signs of bullying from the bigger chicks on the little chicks which would mean I'd set up a second brooder, but I wasn't prepared to protect the big chicks from the little itty bitty poofs of silkie fury.
This is my first time with silkies, my current knowledge is limited to what I've read here and online over the past few years of having various other standard sized breeds.
My observations so far:
- holy mackerel they are CUTE!!!
‐ they are pretty quiet and not overly rambunctious
- they will pile in a corner and fight to have their beaks smooshed into the 90 deg bend of the brooder
- they vigorously pull each other's fluff, the one who's feathers are being pulled completely ignores the fact that they are trying to be eaten
- they try to eat the bigger chicks freshly grown feathers right off their bodies
- they happily peck at the side of the brooder to try and eat it
- they freak out over mash and then get zonked in a food coma
And, today I saw one opening its beak to breath in, not good! I picked it up and could hear it gasping for breath. I took it to better light to check it out ans finally found a little growth like thing in the corner of its beak. Using some tweezers I tried to touch it, the chick was trying to get away and seemed like me touching it was uncomfortable. I was able to grab the mystery growth a little ans the chick ripped its head sideways and I caught a glimpse of something flesh colored, had a moments panic that I just ripped its tongue out. Got a second hold on it and out popped a penny sized piece of shaving. Thankfully the chick immediately improved.
These little poofs are off to a good start, and I'm excited to see them grow and looking forward to all the entertainment they'll bring. They are straight run so also hoping there are mostly pullets... not sure I'll keep any more roos. We already have an EE roo and he is plenty.
Yay silkies!
I made the little silkies a hide, they took to it right away, but one also took to trying to eat the comb off the head of a bigger chick, like full on beak clamped down thrashing its little body back and forth trying to rip the poor chicks single comb off its head. I was watching for signs of bullying from the bigger chicks on the little chicks which would mean I'd set up a second brooder, but I wasn't prepared to protect the big chicks from the little itty bitty poofs of silkie fury.
This is my first time with silkies, my current knowledge is limited to what I've read here and online over the past few years of having various other standard sized breeds.
My observations so far:
- holy mackerel they are CUTE!!!
‐ they are pretty quiet and not overly rambunctious
- they will pile in a corner and fight to have their beaks smooshed into the 90 deg bend of the brooder
- they vigorously pull each other's fluff, the one who's feathers are being pulled completely ignores the fact that they are trying to be eaten
- they try to eat the bigger chicks freshly grown feathers right off their bodies
- they happily peck at the side of the brooder to try and eat it
- they freak out over mash and then get zonked in a food coma
And, today I saw one opening its beak to breath in, not good! I picked it up and could hear it gasping for breath. I took it to better light to check it out ans finally found a little growth like thing in the corner of its beak. Using some tweezers I tried to touch it, the chick was trying to get away and seemed like me touching it was uncomfortable. I was able to grab the mystery growth a little ans the chick ripped its head sideways and I caught a glimpse of something flesh colored, had a moments panic that I just ripped its tongue out. Got a second hold on it and out popped a penny sized piece of shaving. Thankfully the chick immediately improved.
These little poofs are off to a good start, and I'm excited to see them grow and looking forward to all the entertainment they'll bring. They are straight run so also hoping there are mostly pullets... not sure I'll keep any more roos. We already have an EE roo and he is plenty.
Yay silkies!
Keep us posted as they grow! 
they are scratching in the dirt boxes and have really grown in the last week outside.
not that I need 4 hens going broody, I already have a very stubborn broody Black Australorp that is afraid of chicks. 
one also chittered me out last night when I made them mash, I usually make it in the house and take it out, but last night I took all the stuff to the porch. I'm pretty sure it was yelling "how dare you put water on my food!", but immediately forgot it was upset and dug right in.
