Silkie saga

[2ndTink]

We made the decision to put Fray down this morning, I know it was the right choice but it was still so hard to make. Whatever it was, I don't think I could have gotten her to pull through. In case it was a vitamin E issue the rest of the flock got a vitamin E pill this AM (except the 3 I couldn't catch, I'll get them tonight when they are sleepy). I'm not sure it was vitamins or an injury. It just doesn't make sense if it was vitamins that she would go downhill so fast as soon as I started giving her Vit E. This is my least favorite part of having chickens

 

[TwoCrows]

We made the decision to put Fray down this morning, I know it was the right choice but it was still so hard to make. Whatever it was, I don't think I could have gotten her to pull through. In case it was a vitamin E issue the rest of the flock got a vitamin E pill this AM (except the 3 I couldn't catch, I'll get them tonight when they are sleepy). I'm not sure it was vitamins or an injury. It just doesn't make sense if it was vitamins that she would go downhill so fast as soon as I started giving her Vit E. This is my least favorite part of having chickens

I am so very sorry, putting them down is never an easy decision but if we are at that point, it's usually the right decision. Some of these issues will never be solved, mysteries we will never understand. I am sure she knew you loved her greatly and wanted her to stay. She understands and is in a better place now. However she can now watch over you and her siblings, always at your side on your Silkie journeys. My heart goes out to you. ❤

 

[2ndTink]

I am missing my Fray the Itty Bitty, here is a photo of her next to her hatchmate about a week and a half ago. You can see how small she was, Fray is on the right and Freya is on the left. Cute little thing, and I will remember her with happy thoughts.


I spent extra time with the chicks tonight and made them put up with me waking them up and getting photos. It was dark by the time we got home so everyone was already cozied down for the night. I turned on the light and disturbed their peace but I think it was enjoyed by all parties

I've noticed that of my two chocolates, Frida has the big poof and a modest beard, and Freya has a big beard and less poof. The beard is quite impressive in person but hard to capture in a photo

Frida


Freya


Frida was poking her floofy head out of the silkie puddle tonight, it was adorable.


Cracker, I had to get a shot of these feet feathers!


Skeet and Sylvi are getting massive booty floof, Sylvi has the head floof to match, Skeet is choosing function over style and growing a floof that is stylish yet functional with improved visibility.



And Storm


I was trying to guess what breed the satin feathering came from, all my satin boys from the one breeding pen have MASSIVE foot feathers and even have feathers on their 4th and 5th toes. It seems the Sultan chickens have the same shape head crest as well as the long long foot feathers and feathers on all toes. Chonkers has much less length and quantity to his foot feathers and his brother JetPack has shorter foot fluff than the silkies from the other pen as well.

 

[2ndTink]

And JetPack, my little dude, he's just really special.


Not the best quality photos tonight, but I had fun.

 

[TwoCrows]

I am missing my Fray the Itty Bitty, here is a photo of her next to her hatchmate about a week and a half ago. You can see how small she was, Fray is on the right and Freya is on the left. Cute little thing, and I will remember her with happy thoughts.

I am so sorry she's gone. She is significantly smaller than her siblings, something was going on inside her body to stunt her growth. If the immune system isn't functioning properly, it will definitely slow growth and of course open that door to disease and such. Poor little one.

I spent extra time with the chicks tonight and made them put up with me waking them up and getting photos. It was dark by the time we got home so everyone was already cozied down for the night. I turned on the light and disturbed their peace but I think it was enjoyed by all parties

I've noticed that of my two chocolates, Frida has the big poof and a modest beard, and Freya has a big beard and less poof. The beard is quite impressive in person but hard to capture in a photo

Frida
View attachment 3685352

Freya
View attachment 3685357

Frida was poking her floofy head out of the silkie puddle tonight, it was adorable.
View attachment 3685351

Cracker, I had to get a shot of these feet feathers!
View attachment 3685355

Skeet and Sylvi are getting massive booty floof, Sylvi has the head floof to match, Skeet is choosing function over style and growing a floof that is stylish yet functional with improved visibility.
View attachment 3685353
View attachment 3685354

And Storm
View attachment 3685349

I was trying to guess what breed the satin feathering came from, all my satin boys from the one breeding pen have MASSIVE foot feathers and even have feathers on their 4th and 5th toes. It seems the Sultan chickens have the same shape head crest as well as the long long foot feathers and feathers on all toes. Chonkers has much less length and quantity to his foot feathers and his brother JetPack has shorter foot fluff than the silkies from the other pen as well.

And JetPack, my little dude, he's just really special.
View attachment 3685368

Not the best quality photos tonight, but I had fun.

Taking photos of our babies is so much fun, it definitely brightens our mood! Lots of variety of feather growth in your flock, they all express themselves a bit different, I love it! ❤ I mean how could you not smile when looking at this bunch, they are positively adorable! I just love ALL of them!! ❤ Thanks for sharing!!

Well, it's Friday!! I hope you have a great day today and a quiet peaceful weekend.

 

[2ndTink]

Good evening I'm Frida from the Peeps Department, hand over your license and registration. Yeah, I'm gonna have to give you a citation for being too cute.

 

[TwoCrows]

Good evening I'm Frida from the Peeps Department, hand over your license and registration. Yeah, I'm gonna have to give you a citation for being too cute.

View attachment 3687363

OMG....this is SO stinking cute!!! ❤❤❤ I can't stop giggling, I just showed hubby too, he thought it just too adorable! Thanks so much for your Silkie Doodle, I LOVE them!!

 

[2ndTink]

Blech (graphic photo warning)

I have been trapping (rather zapping) rats for a few months now and the dog catches one here and there. The zapping had dropped to zero rats per day, so I though maybe, just maybe, I was winning... WRONG! Last week I saw a massive rat and three smaller ones, so I ordered another treadle feeder and got it put together and in the coop this weekend. Cut off the last nighttime food supply and caught a MONSTER rat last night and it's buddy.

In the same trap! I have no clue how they both squeezed in, I couldn't shake them out of the trap, I had to step on the ones tail and yank them out

Base took a look at the nasty tail sticking out and gave an alarm sqwak as she flapped quickly away.


The other two I'll leave so you have click on them. These traps are pretty great and the treadle feeders are working at least with the two older flocks. The pullets still are freaked out about this metal monster in their run. And, I have to be careful to make sure the two silkies are getting enough to eat.

 

[TwoCrows]

Blech (graphic photo warning)

I have been trapping (rather zapping) rats for a few months now and the dog catches one here and there. The zapping had dropped to zero rats per day, so I though maybe, just maybe, I was winning... WRONG! Last week I saw a massive rat and three smaller ones, so I ordered another treadle feeder and got it put together and in the coop this weekend. Cut off the last nighttime food supply and caught a MONSTER rat last night and it's buddy.

In the same trap! I have no clue how they both squeezed in, I couldn't shake them out of the trap, I had to step on the ones tail and yank them out

Base took a look at the nasty tail sticking out and gave an alarm sqwak as she flapped quickly away.
View attachment 3687640

The other two I'll leave so you have click on them. These traps are pretty great and the treadle feeders are working at least with the two older flocks. The pullets still are freaked out about this metal monster in their run. And, I have to be careful to make sure the two silkies are getting enough to eat.

You said it, rats, blech!! Wow, a double in your trap! When a chicken, Base, gets disgusted at dead rodents, you know they are pretty disgusting. Just when you think you have a handle on these rats, they prove you otherwise. Rats, mice, .... are very difficult to control. We've got a lot of pack rats here too, huge things, I swear they could grow to the size of a small dog! We keep traps set everywhere in side cinder blocks that nothing else can get into to catch mice and rats and we are constantly catching these things. Unfortunately there is a never ending supply of these vermin.

 

[2ndTink]

You said it, rats, blech!! Wow, a double in your trap! When a chicken, Base, gets disgusted at dead rodents, you know they are pretty disgusting. Just when you think you have a handle on these rats, they prove you otherwise. Rats, mice, .... are very difficult to control. We've got a lot of pack rats here too, huge things, I swear they could grow to the size of a small dog! We keep traps set everywhere in side cinder blocks that nothing else can get into to catch mice and rats and we are constantly catching these things. Unfortunately there is a never ending supply of these vermin.

Ugh, pack rats!?! Regular rats are definitely bad enough