Silkie thread!

[flgardengirl]

This might be a dumb question, but do you keep your male and female silkies together all the time once they reach breeding age? I have 6 girls with one male and he isn't real rough but he does grab onto the backs of their heads to mate them and this morning he was chasing my smallest buff pullet girl (she is the same age just real tiny but healthy etc) around and jumped on her and hit her neck and chest. She was laying on the ground gasping for air and I think he might of hurt her neck a little besides knocking the wind out of her. I took her out and she is resting now. With the silkies being prone to head injuries do the females often get injured during mating? Thanks
Lenette

 

[Teresaann24]

Quote:
I myself have not had a injured hen from mating but my aunt has had two females injured. Some have breeding pens where a female is left with a male for an amount of time so she will be fertile. Hens can stay fertile with a male for up to 7-10 days and will have fertile eggs after being with a breeding male after 3 days and remove her from the breeding pens. However I leave my girls with their roo at all times.

 

[emvickrey]

I would take her out if he's being so rough with her if it was me. But I keep my hens with their roo all the time. My roos are pretty gentle. They grab the back of their heads to hang on during mating. They usually protest. I'm pretty sure it probably hurts to have his weight pulling at their crests. Thats why alot of hens have a spot on the back of their heads that is either bare or nearly bare. I had that happen when I have LF chickens but I have silkies and the guys are gentle. My girls don't have any missing feathers. The roos will jump off if they don't balance themselves in the first couple of seconds and just try it again later.

 

[Teresaann24]

My showgirl hen protest loudly...LOL she runs in circles sometimes she does not like being bred.

 

[kasey08]

Can anyone show me a pic of a splash chick? about 3-4 days old?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Here's a picture of some splash. 1 day old in the picture. Not sure if this will help you or not.

 

[kasey08]

Aww thanks. I still cant tell if I have one or not....hahaha It kinda looks like a really light blue. But not like Ive seen blue chicks before.

 

[Teresaann24]

Quote:
Pics?

 

[kasey08]

Did they look like the splash on your BYC page? Gorgeous

 

[kasey08]

Ok let me run home real quick!