Silkie thread!

[LaPetiteFarmer]

My Sheryl Butler hatched white chicks turned eight weeks old and two of the four got a first bath today. It went fairly well. They are covered in pin feathers so I didn't give them a thourough rub a dub dub. Got the heaviest gunk off of them for new update pictures.
I sexed them when they were a week old and my first hunch is still accurate.

Mr. Wiggin at four weeks.






Miss Peggy at four weeks.


Miss Peggy at eight weeks today.


Mr. Wiggin at eight weeks old today.

I have paired them because he is gentle with her. Had to remove them from the grow out pen with the other chicks because they were picking out her muff and beard feathers.


Together. Their faces are still slightly dirty, but oh well. They behaved themselves very well through the whole ordeal.

Really cute chicks and nice feet!

I just posted in a separate thread but i was hoping it would go here. I want to know if having Silkies and Bantam Cochins together - same coop/run would be ok ? I don't plan on having many - my first time having chickens. I can't make up my mind which breed of chicken , so I thought, hmmm maybe i could have both ? ... would these 2 get along ? Thx Michele

I keep my silkies separated because I am breeding them. I believe bantam cochins are pretty small, so it should be fine. However, you have to be careful with silkies because they have vaulted crest, so if they get peck in the head, it could be bad. One of my silkie got peck in the head while free ranging with my LF and unfortunately she never fully recovered.

Hatch total ended up being 7/10. I culled two from those 7 because of leg issues, the poor things could barely walk and kept flipping over on their back (not spraddle leg--it's some joint issue I haven't been able to correct). But I let them all enjoy a day in the sun with their Mom before I did. One of the culls had completely yellow legs, really weird because none of my birds ever had yellow legs as chicks. Anyway, the rest are very cute and I'm looking forward to seeing them mature.

Precious picture... what a great mama. I am sorry about the 2 you had to cull. It is always a very difficult decision.

Well, Parmesano passed while I slept. I am gonna do a necropsy and see if there are tumors causing this. Someone that lives close to me that got 7 M Best chicks soon after me only has 1 chick remaining. They lost an average of one a week. So there is something going on in her lines.

Oh I am so sorry, that is so sad

. I wonder what is going on with them.

Quick question: my pure white silkie is spotless EXCEPT her beard. What's the best way to clean just her beard or is it full bath time?

From my own experience, I always find it easier to just give them a full bath.

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

I use coarse sand and I love it! It's way better than shavings as I have to use them on some indoors spots.

Thank you! I asked my neighbor if he knew of a place where I could buy sand in bulk. He said he would split it with me but I don't know if it is going to be coarse or fine. Is fine sand ok? Whenever you clean their run, do you just rake and mix it with new sand or do you actually remove the old sand?

Beautiful babies everyone!!!

He's my little darling today:

So darling! I love the setting!

I have sand in my runs mounded in the middle so that I don't get puddles when it rains. in my coops have wood floors with shavings. maybe use sand that drains good and a bit of shavings on top. and one of my coops does get wet on a couple of walls near the floor so I just scoop out the wet when needed add a little more shavings to help it dry.

Thank you. I just finished adding the rest of pine shaving in all the runs (until I get the sand) and it looks nice but I think it will be too expensive to maintain. I really need those stinkers to have dry feet lol.

 

[gcorso33]

Nothing like Catdance babies hatching and a new brinsea incubator. Soo exciting!

 

[Kimmi500]

Nothing like Catdance babies hatching and a new brinsea incubator. Soo exciting!

Congrats on your babies I just love hatch days, it's like Christmas, you never know what your going to get

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Mine just started and \were bettween 6-7 months old. But I have heard some can take a month or two longer.

I had only one silkie that started laying at 7 months. My other ones are 9 months and still no eggs.
However, I have one who was born (supposedly) November 7th 2011 but since I got her (January 17th 2013) she hasn't laid. Could that be possible?

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Nothing like Catdance babies hatching and a new brinsea incubator. Soo exciting!

Oh congratulation! That is so exciting!!!

 

[Teresaann24]

Taking a 2 hour trip next sat to pick up my Cuckoo and paints I can not wait to post pictures I am so excited!

 

[Teresaann24]

I did not want to get too many but should I get some lavender and porclen (sp?) also?LOL

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:
I don't believe they did.

 

[omaeve]

Quick question: my pure white silkie is spotless EXCEPT her beard. What's the best way to clean just her beard or is it full bath time?

i USE L.O.C. FROM Amway and a face brush just dip in wash bowl and brush in the direction the feathers grow. you could also use baby shampoo...this is just so you do not get soap in the eyes and mouth p.s. if you leave the water running they try to make a mess and get wet all over anyway....lol