Silkie thread!

[countrygirl911]

ok my silkies are getting dirty feet real bad expecially the white ones how to i bath them and with what

 

[emvickrey]

I have a ladder in my sizzle pen that goes up to the roost. The roost is about 2 ft off the ground and the ladder is 6 in wide with little strips of wood going across it for the rungs. The ladder is about 4 ft long. I have varying ages in that pen. The oldest birds get up on the roost. They usually block it so the others can't get up there. When we move it, we plan to put another ladder on the other side of the roost so others can get up there if they choose. But for the most part they prefer to pile up in the corners to sleep. They segregate themselves into the groups they where hatched with.

 

[Donna McCormick]

Quote:
Thank you! That is quite interesting regarding the time of year of the hatches. It does make sense that the spring hatched birds would be larger due to more food available if free ranging.

i breed all year round and my bird are no bigger in the winter then they are in the summer

Ditto, mine either.

 

[Beth G.]

Quote:
i breed all year round and my bird are no bigger in the winter then they are in the summer

Ditto, mine either.

I can honestly say I've never seen this happen in my flock. I've bred many breeds for many years and never seen this

where is the research on this bc I'd love to see what facts they are basing it on?

 

[<3 N.C Chicken Chick <3]

Quote:
You can put some food in the nest if you want; they actually do not NEED anything for about 3 days, but it won;t hurt to have food there. Use quail no-drown waterers, or put marbles/pebbles in the base of the regular chick waterers. Lockdown is when hatching with an incubator--no more turning, keep door closed for the last 3 days of incubation. If you are using a broody, let her manage it.

Phew

Thanks bunches!

 

[Uriel]

Quote:
My Silkies seem to enjoy baths. I've got all whites. Firstly in a bucket i get a good lather on them of Dawn Pure Essentials Hypoallergenic and warm water (liquid dish soap- i get mine at Walmart). This soap can't be beat imo- ive tried a lot of kinds lately. Hold them tight so they dont flap, place them down in the water and let the lather soak in, swish the water around- Don't rub them or they'll lose feathers. Get any poo or dirt dislodged and then rinse well using another bucket of clean water or clean water + cider vinegar (vinegar helps to remove soap which will dry the feathers out if left on). Just be careful of getting soap in their eyes or water in their nose/mouth. I just wash them neck down to be safe. Then take them out and put in front of a heater or blow dryer or out on a sunny day, i wrap mine in a towel for a few minutes to get most of the water off but must be careful of rubbing and removing feathers with the towel if you do that. and 'poof!' you have a pristine fluffball again.

 

[AlienChick]

Quote:
Thank you!

 

[waterchicken]

Quote:
My Silkies seem to enjoy baths. I've got all whites. Firstly in a bucket i get a good lather on them of Dawn Pure Essentials Hypoallergenic and warm water (liquid dish soap- i get mine at Walmart). This soap can't be beat imo- ive tried a lot of kinds lately. Hold them tight so they dont flap, place them down in the water and let the lather soak in, swish the water around- Don't rub them or they'll lose feathers. Get any poo or dirt dislodged and then rinse well using another bucket of clean water or clean water + cider vinegar (vinegar helps to remove soap which will dry the feathers out if left on). Just be careful of getting soap in their eyes or water in their nose/mouth. I just wash them neck down to be safe. Then take them out and put in front of a heater or blow dryer or out on a sunny day, i wrap mine in a towel for a few minutes to get most of the water off but must be careful of rubbing and removing feathers with the towel if you do that. and 'poof!' you have a pristine fluffball again.

Good way to do it tho!

 

[dwegg]

A hawk got into my silkie run and killed my only two girls and my ameraucana roo...they were all only about 5 months old. I went out straight after work like always and there he was eating my roo.

I had to put down the littlest silkie as she had been stripped of all back and wing feathers and I could see her bones where her wings had been torn apart...

But my roo saved the other 4 who had made it to the coop.

 

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

I am so sorry!!

Your roo was

Happy-Hens