Silkie thread!

[chickenhatcher]

This is my new silkie. She (we are pretty sure it's a she) is supposed to be 2-4 months old does anyone know what age she could be more specificlly?

 

[farmgirljd09]

The symptoms you describe fit Mereks Disease. The limping, then the bird lays down, looking like its stretching its legs out to the side trying to get up. Eventually the bird dies because it cannot move to eat or drink. If it is Mereks, then you will probably have more birds fit the symptoms. Sometimes birds just go down like that and it isn't Mereks and no other birds present with symptoms.
I would isolate him from your other birds. If you hand feed him, it will prolong his life, but is it worth it? And if it is Mereks, you might be subjecting the rest of your flock to it.
Usually birds that get this are around 3 to 4 months old. Its not pleasant. And of course, it always is one of your best or favorite chickens.

that is so sad, and i am so sorry....

 

[skyl3r]

there are alot of factors how old are the 2 chicks also how warm is it out were u live another thing is how warm is ur coop also if ur putting them out with bigger birds make sure u got a spot were only the little chicks can get so the bigger birds cant pick on them but in my experince the bigger birds dont pick on the little ones to much they normally give them a light peck when there eating or drinking but thats just the pecking order there just letting the chicks kniw that i eat and drink first.

Sager, we don't have any other chickens except for these 11. They are all new babies, no old flock members. It is very hot here. We have the coop in a very shady place right now. I think the temp this week has averaged about 83. I need to hang the thermometer in the coop and see. The roof is insulated, so it seems cooler in there in the shade. But it is east texas...so its never THAT cool

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Mareks is what I was thinking as well ....

If the bird does pass, you should probably have him tested because you WILL want to know if it is Mareks.

 

[skyl3r]

Do any of y'all vaccinate your chickens? Is this something that you do only if you show? I mean...am I supposed to take my chickens to the vet? I know this is absolutely ridiculous questions, but since I am new to chickens, I really hadn't thought about it before. I think my people near me, just use chickens for food and eggs. So health isn't always a big deal to them. They can just eat the chicken. We have our chickens as pets and I would like to take care of them as I take care of all my pets.

 

[TheChicknGarden]

my o my its been some time since I've posted... but I've been ready... and looking at all the pretty silkie pictures...
so my nugget who started to lay and who i found eggs had be fertilized by my peach (who i didn't even know was a roo) well i put her 1st batch of eggs in the incubator... nothing developed... i'm thinking since i had them in a very very cold fridge that messed things up... she continued to lay and i check to see if they were still fertile and they still did so now i have 4 in the incubator, wondering if anything will come of them ... wonder if its cause she just started to lay ( just a month now) hmm... either way since i had the incubator already i thought id try. she laid and egg yesterday and well then decided to go broody she's been in her house for the 2 days now (sitting on 2 eggs - had one that i didn't put in the incubator so i slipped it under her).... only came out in the morning to eat and drink...

should i put food and water in her house so she doesn't have to come out ? (not sure if those eggs are fertile figured I'd candle them in a several days ....even thought about buying eggs just been trying to figure out a place in driving distance cause i only want a hand few and worry bout shipping ...hmm...)
the pastries are turning 3 months! no crowing but i really think that strudel is a roo....his comb had gotten a deeper red (mulberry) and i can see wattles too
what do you guys think, still look rooish?



i think i maybe be in denial.. but subconsciously know that strudel is indeed a roo... i keep calling him a he.... your thoughts?
i also fear that biscuit is a roo too... her comb isn't as red as strudel's but i don't know and on a rare occasion she'll chest bump strudel ( they used to play fight alot when they were younger, but have sort have stopped as they got older)

call it paranoia lol but i think i see streamers coming in ....am i seeing things???

hope everyone is having a great day. i hope for those who have babies who are sick that they get better... and for those who are hatching or waiting to hatch have happy successful ones!

 

[skyl3r]

Ok, so I have been trying to figure out what color that Einstein is and we have all been guessing! Well, I emailed the breeder and asked her. And she knows exactly. So everyone that said my little Einstein was a splash is totally correct. I looked at all her chickens that day, but came home overwhelmed and didn't know what I had exactly! So here is Einsteins parents. THe breeder was happy to upload some pics to Facebook for me! The rooster won "RV" at the last show (Im guessing that is Reserve, I only know horse shows).

Roo +


Pullet


= Einstein



She posted a pic of one of her other chicks from another hatch and they look very similar. The dingy white color

 

[peepblessed]

Ok, so I have been trying to figure out what color that Einstein is and we have all been guessing! Well, I emailed the breeder and asked her. And she knows exactly. So everyone that said my little Einstein was a splash is totally correct. I looked at all her chickens that day, but came home overwhelmed and didn't know what I had exactly! So here is Einsteins parents. THe breeder was happy to upload some pics to Facebook for me! The rooster won "RV" at the last show (Im guessing that is Reserve, I only know horse shows).

Roo +


Pullet


= Einstein



She posted a pic of one of her other chicks from another hatch and they look very similar. The dingy white color

Oh! They are awesome!!

 

[sager:)silkies]

Sager, we don't have any other chickens except for these 11. They are all new babies, no old flock members. It is very hot here. We have the coop in a very shady place right now. I think the temp this week has averaged about 83. I need to hang the thermometer in the coop and see. The roof is insulated, so it seems cooler in there in the shade. But it is east texas...so its never THAT cool

o then u could probley let them in there coop just if u do free range them let them be in there for atleast a week so they can learn were home is and if it is hot make sure they have lots of water and i forgot my chicks that i showed u were only 5 weeks old so 2 weeks younger then urs but both have the same thing were we got a runt i find them cute cause i can mix them with weekolds hahahahaha

 

[Hawkeye95]

my o my its been some time since I've posted... but I've been ready... and looking at all the pretty silkie pictures...
so my nugget who started to lay and who i found eggs had be fertilized by my peach (who i didn't even know was a roo) well i put her 1st batch of eggs in the incubator... nothing developed... i'm thinking since i had them in a very very cold fridge that messed things up... she continued to lay and i check to see if they were still fertile and they still did so now i have 4 in the incubator, wondering if anything will come of them ... wonder if its cause she just started to lay ( just a month now) hmm... either way since i had the incubator already i thought id try. she laid and egg yesterday and well then decided to go broody she's been in her house for the 2 days now (sitting on 2 eggs - had one that i didn't put in the incubator so i slipped it under her).... only came out in the morning to eat and drink...

should i put food and water in her house so she doesn't have to come out ? (not sure if those eggs are fertile figured I'd candle them in a several days ....even thought about buying eggs just been trying to figure out a place in driving distance cause i only want a hand few and worry bout shipping ...hmm...)
the pastries are turning 3 months! no crowing but i really think that strudel is a roo....his comb had gotten a deeper red (mulberry) and i can see wattles too
what do you guys think, still look rooish?



i think i maybe be in denial.. but subconsciously know that strudel is indeed a roo... i keep calling him a he.... your thoughts?
i also fear that biscuit is a roo too... her comb isn't as red as strudel's but i don't know and on a rare occasion she'll chest bump strudel ( they used to play fight alot when they were younger, but have sort have stopped as they got older)

call it paranoia lol but i think i see streamers coming in ....am i seeing things???

hope everyone is having a great day. i hope for those who have babies who are sick that they get better... and for those who are hatching or waiting to hatch have happy successful ones!

Are these two separate birds? Hopefully I'm wrong-- but they both look like cockerels to me. The bottom one definitely looks like streamers coming in and has kind of a large comb for it's age. The top one has the "brushed back" crest look that boys have.