Silkie thread!

[blessedchick]

SO, SO ADORABLE!!! And your broody is a beaut! Congratulations!

Okay!!! I had a baby hatch this morning! My ONE and only... an only child!! I just got home a little bit ago. But before I left this morning, I did get a couple of pictures of her (which made me a bit late). AH well. My new chick!!!

Here's my broody mama (she's not really the mama, BTW-- my Black pullet laid this egg) My chick is under her! (BELOW)

This is the baby-- I set her down to take her picture, and then I felt terrible I did that, she couldn't stand up yet. (BELOW)

She's still a little wet here-- after I took this pic, I put her back under mama hen. (BELOW) BUT look-- she has a vaulted skull like her real mama has! It's quite a vault, too-- I don't know if I should be worried about it????

OKay, and I just got home like 15 mins ago and I took these two pictures-- she's all fluffed up... well, kind of! LOL

And here she is-- cutest thing EVER!! Okay, I'm just saying that because she's MINE!! LOL

(BELOW)

So she must have hatched pretty early this morning, because the first two pictures were taken around 8am and she was already about half way dry. What color do you think she is??? Her daddy is Splash and mama is Black (or a very, very dark Blue). Is she Splash????

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hawkeye95

Thanks everyone!! The chick is doing great. I noticed that the toe on the far outside (mostly covered in feathers) is missing a toenail!!! It's like the toe is a bit short. That's how it caught my eye-- it looked a bit shorter than it should. That is disappointing. What causes this?? Genetic or an incubation thing?? Are they no good for breeding later on??

My understanding is that you may get a couple of points deduction in a show for a missing toenail. I'm not sure what the common thought is on cause but I have had several chicks from several breeders who have one or two missing.

Interesting! So it's not an entire DQ on the toenail?? Anyone know if this is genetic or something in incubation? Just wondering if anyone uses them for breeding and has babies with normal toes. I have no clue if this will be a good quality bird or not, so obviously I'll have to wait a few months. I'm just worried about that toe. Sigh.

 

[Hawkeye95]

SO, SO ADORABLE!!! And your broody is a beaut! Congratulations!

Thank you so much!! I haven't decided if I'll try to breed her (my broody hen). You can see in the first photo that she has a bit of leakage coming out on her left side under her chin. It's only the one little spot... But it worries me! LOL Otherwise, she is soooo pretty and doesn't have any other spots like that on her. I checked my chick this morning-- It's really fluffy now!! Much more than yesterday. It must have still been a bit damp yesterday since now it really looks like a silkie chick. ha! I'll have to get another pic of it up soon!

 

[mama2my4]

I never in a million years thought I would be asking this question, but is there any way to encourage your hen to go broody?

 

[Hawkeye95]

I never in a million years thought I would be asking this question, but is there any way to encourage your hen to go broody?

If you have silkies.... I can hardly STOP them from going broody! Be prepared though-- if you are using them as show birds, they make a horrible mess of their chest! They pluck out all their feathers and get really yucky looking. I did manage to break a bird that was just starting to go broody. She got some of herself plucked. I have no idea how to MAKE them go broody. They also lose a lot of weight. Maybe if you put them in a small pen with a nest box? I had mine in cages to keep them out of the sun and to stay clean between our events, and that's when they went broody. I put them in an outside run to stop them.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hawkeye95

Thanks everyone!! The chick is doing great. I noticed that the toe on the far outside (mostly covered in feathers) is missing a toenail!!! It's like the toe is a bit short. That's how it caught my eye-- it looked a bit shorter than it should. That is disappointing. What causes this?? Genetic or an incubation thing?? Are they no good for breeding later on??

Interesting! So it's not an entire DQ on the toenail?? Anyone know if this is genetic or something in incubation? Just wondering if anyone uses them for breeding and has babies with normal toes. I have no clue if this will be a good quality bird or not, so obviously I'll have to wait a few months. I'm just worried about that toe. Sigh.

which toenail is it? the outer toe thats under the fluff? thats fairly common and is a fault not a DQ and I would never think to get rid of a chick with a missing toenail until its matured out and then I way the pros and cons of the bird. A missing toenail can be genetic or incubation, but it is a simpler fix than somethings in my opinion. Don't worry about it till the baby gets to be atleast 4 months old.

 

[mama2my4]

If you have silkies.... I can hardly STOP them from going broody! Be prepared though-- if you are using them as show birds, they make a horrible mess of their chest! They pluck out all their feathers and get really yucky looking. I did manage to break a bird that was just starting to go broody. She got some of herself plucked. I have no idea how to MAKE them go broody. They also lose a lot of weight. Maybe if you put them in a small pen with a nest box? I had mine in cages to keep them out of the sun and to stay clean between our events, and that's when they went broody. I put them in an outside run to stop them.

Yep. Silkies is ALL I have

She is not going to be a show bird. I am going to try to move her to a small cage today and see if that helps.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

I never in a million years thought I would be asking this question, but is there any way to encourage your hen to go broody?

depends on the age...I've had some go broody no sooner than they start the lay (literally had 2 girls lay for a couple weeks then go broody at 6 months old) and I've had other girls who don't try to brood till a year old. I did have ONE out of all the silkies I've ever had that hit 3 years old this year and she never went broody - NEVER.

Try leaving some eggs, mark them say 4 or 5 of them in the favorite nesting area. you can even buy fake eggs or use golf balls. someone may get encouraged to go broody. this is that time of year that they are really getting to feeling that urge.

 

[Hawkeye95]

which toenail is it? the outer toe thats under the fluff? thats fairly common and is a fault not a DQ and I would never think to get rid of a chick with a missing toenail until its matured out and then I way the pros and cons of the bird. A missing toenail can be genetic or incubation, but it is a simpler fix than somethings in my opinion. Don't worry about it till the baby gets to be atleast 4 months old.

Okay, thank you! I feel a lot better about it, then. Yeah, it's the far outside toe-- it's mostly covered in feathers anyway, but I noticed it when she was still a bit wet. It's the only toe on her/him that is missing the toe nail.

 

[chicknfun]

SO, SO ADORABLE!!! And your broody is a beaut! Congratulations!


Quote: What is 'vaulted' skull?