Silkie thread!

[Adoravachick]

Chicks are hatching today! One splash so far and I will post pics when the rest hatch and dry. I am hoping for at least one black!

 

[Sanna]

Chicks are hatching today! One splash so far and I will post pics when the rest hatch and dry. I am hoping for at least one black!

 

[Keric]

I was given a silkie with a clenched foot before, it is a defect and I don't believe it is correctable. She is living fine with my friend and is healthy and happy but not something you will want to breed. Also, does the one that is flipping over have splay leg? That is correctable if it is. My current pullet has the toe issue where the outer toes are very small with only a tiny nail, this is supposed to be common, but you don't want the toe nail to dissapear.

Thank you for your response. I've been distraught over this. I feel so bad for the foot one and know I should probably cull both but I just don't have the heart to give the go ahead to my fiancee. The one that flips over is being treated for splay leg but it doesn't have it... I'm pretty sure it has neurological problems since it jerks when it is sleeping and should be still (not moving). I didn't see it when it immediately hatched (I was at work) but Eric (my fiancee) said it was constantly upside down and kicking his feet and when he would flip him upright the chick would flip himself back over... Eric made him a little cardboard ring to keep it upright, and now the chick is doing a lot better. It at least can keep itself upright and can walk a little. If he gets tipped over he just lays there and doesn't try to correct himself. But if we correct him he stays upright.
It drinks and pecks at stuff. I guess that's an encouraging sign.

Oooh the heartbreaks of keeping chickens.

 

[ChicksNherps]

Thank you for your response. I've been distraught over this. I feel so bad for the foot one and know I should probably cull both but I just don't have the heart to give the go ahead to my fiancee. The one that flips over is being treated for splay leg but it doesn't have it... I'm pretty sure it has neurological problems since it jerks when it is sleeping and should be still (not moving). I didn't see it when it immediately hatched (I was at work) but Eric (my fiancee) said it was constantly upside down and kicking his feet and when he would flip him upright the chick would flip himself back over... Eric made him a little cardboard ring to keep it upright, and now the chick is doing a lot better. It at least can keep itself upright and can walk a little. If he gets tipped over he just lays there and doesn't try to correct himself. But if we correct him he stays upright.
It drinks and pecks at stuff. I guess that's an encouraging sign.

Oooh the heartbreaks of keeping chickens.

Yeah I am excited to be able to start breeding, but so nervous at the same time! I am going to have my own color project so I will have to get rid of a lot of babies.

 

[camilleathome]

Here is a video of my little ones chowing down on FF

 

[moomoodiddy]

Here is my rooster George that kind of looks like yours!

cool!

 

[moomoodiddy]

This image was scanned from my personal copy of the 1993 American Standard of Perfection. No coypright infringement is intended. I post it for educational purposes only. I'm pretty sure the current 2013 Non Bearded SOP is much the same. If there are breeders that know more, please respond. Edited to add: The SOP tells us what a perfect specimen should be. There is no such thing as a perfect anything but we breed birds to get as close to the SOP standard as possible. The closer your birds resemble it, the better quality birds you have.

I'm not an expert but I know his feet aren't good. Does he have 4 toes on his right foot?? He lacks on his cushion and I'm pretty sure his back is too long also. And I'm assuming those are all the feathers he has on his head on a good day? Those are just some of the things I can see but I still have lots to learn myself. And, I'm not very familiar with the non-bearded.

okay thanx yall thats dissapointing cauze i may have to use him anyways but will be definetly improving on him somehow

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I'm going to advertise this lady on Craigslist. Hoping you are all with me that she's a hen. I was wondering if she would be SQ? I don't plan to get into the NB variety so she needs a new home. Plus she's buff. No offense but it's not my favorite of the silkie colors. She's still a baby and full of pin feathers so she's not too fluffy right now.

She's partridge, not buff. Way too much penciling to call her a buff. Pretty decent for a NB.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Best bet is to bring him inside and give him a nice long bath with dog flea/tick shampoo. The scaley gunk will soften and you need to scrape off as much as will come off easily. A nail brish will help with this. Once he is rinsed, sausage wrap him in a towel. Mix pour-on ivermectin with an equal part of light oil such as bath oil, olive oil, etc. (about 1 ml total) and using a small syringe or paintbrush coat his legs. Keep him inside for at least a few days, oiling the legs (no more ivermectin for about a week) daily.

Scaley leg mites can cause birds to lose toes! Check the rest of the flock, but sometimes it is only on one bird. And sometimes the whole flock has issues.

 

[Herducks]

These guys hatched on Thursday. Silkies are the cutest babies!!!