Silkie thread!

[ultasol]

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I have tried the Mylicon gas relief infant drops. Haven't tried the tea... She just gets to the point that she's too tired to be sociable and yet too nosy to close her eyes yet either.

Have you asked the doctor if she might be having reflux? If so, there are medications which can help and will reduce the burning she would be feeling which could lead to the fussiness, the colics, etc. Sonoran, my parents used to do the leg thing with me too, even when I was a toddler.
Seriously, though, ask about reflux...

 

[destiny_56085]

G'Morning I didn't get online much yesterday. While the rugrat was sleeping I was busy painting. I hate watching TV and I don't like sitting still for long. By the size of my butt, you'd never guess it. All of a sudden yesterday I had an urge to paint all the walls in the basement. Had about 3/4 of a gallon of paint left so I tackled the entry way in the garage too. Got my indoor aviary cleaned and another brooder set up for the batch of chicks that is pipping. Slopped around in the mud at the farm getting chores done. Now my poor back is sore this morning from moving furniture and climbing ladders.

Not sure what got into Kaylie yesterday either. She slept all day. I woke her up for a bath and her bottles. Even last night was wierd. She fussed for maybe an hour and then fell asleep about 11:30 pm. I woke up at 3am and had to check to make sure she was even breathing....sound asleep. She finally woke up at 6:30 am. Colie...I'll definitely have to try those drops. Tammy...I'm heading to town tomorrow for my doctor appointment and can pickup some tea then. Suze... I've tried the bicycle legs, she absolutely hates car rides (wierd eh?). I'm going to try the washer/dryer. I have one of those jungle looking swings and the vibrating chair. She'll tolerate them for 5-10 minutes and squawking again.

I'm going to be swamped with animal babies soon... My silkie girls have finally picked up laying. I have a batch of 4-5 dozen chicks pipping right now. The 400 egg Redwood incubator is full. I have a batch of muscovy and geese eggs due later next week. I also found a muscovy hen on a nest in the barn that I can't get at. My brother also bought a guy out of all his peafowl and is in the process of bringing them all home. We already had 10 of them. Last week he carted 14 more home and still has more to pick up. Most of them are 3-6 year old breeder birds so will have lots of eggs from them this year as well.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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Amy, do you have a sling carrier for Kaylie? They work really well, and being that close to mama often helps (well, maybe not at arsenic hour, but most other times). A backpack carrier for when you're doing something like cooking can also be helpful, and make sure you also have both that are DH sized.

It honestly sounds to me like you are still nesting! Are you sure you delivered all the babies you're carrying? Maybe one is still hiding in the place you mention above?

 

[destiny_56085]

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SHe si lovely. Her type is very good. Her colouring less so, but still okay. Try her in the spring show. Worst case scenario is that she won;t fare as well as you hope and you'll get to spend time with other chickeny people. Best case scenario is she places GREAT and you get to spend time with other chickeny folks. Win/Win either way.

In my experience with showing, it seems like anything in shades of brown are shown as partridge. Jenny Linton used to have some gorgeous ones are far as type and feathering. I don't ever recall seeing a black breast on any of the males or females being the proper coloration & penciling either. Judges still placed them BV & RV.

I think your girl is very nice as far as type too. She might throw some really nice chicks if paired with a darker rooster. Toe spacing isn't a killer point, esp as a breeder bird. I'd go ahead and show her too. The most you will be out is a time for a bath and a small entry fee. On the bright side, you will meet alot of fun people and possibly get some constructive criticism from the judge.

 

[destiny_56085]

Colie <3 :

How much of a mixture were you using with the sand and kitty litter? Sounds like something to try since scooping it would be ok I think. It's pretty darn hot here most of the year the winters may or may not get really cold. I'm using shavings mostly to help give some cushion to the runs that are on concrete also because it's easy for me to pick up at the feed store.

It depends on the size of the pen.... On the 4x8' pens I would dump 2-3 of the 5 gallon buckets of clean play sand in there. I have 5 of those pens and split up one of those huge buckets of kitty litter between all of them. I have a couple of the 10x10' pens and use maybe a bucket between both of them. On the 10x20' pens I used a bucket for each pen. Just rake it in with the sand and you really don't need alot. It keeps the sand from getting all packed down and helps with odor. Once a week or so you go in there with a rake and get the clumps. The initial expense was highest, but you only need to add a bucket of sand to the pens every couple weeks or so after that. I think the cheapest option was to have a dump truck of sand unloaded and just use off there. If you buy those lil bags at the hardware stores you'll go broke in a hurry. Last spring I had 8 semi loads hauled in for my horse pens and the driveway. The 9th load I just left for the bird pens. In winter, I just raked good and them topped with alot of clean shavings for warmth too.​

 

[destiny_56085]

Colie <3 :

Is she your first? I have a good feeling #2 will be easier at least for me. Someone once told me not to worry too much the first one is always the "practice baby" HAHA! That's horrible but it helped me realize I couldn't be perfect and it was ok to be stressed out with trying to care for a newborn. Once you start getting smiles and more interaction in exchange for all your care I think it becomes more bearable versus that helpless screaming phase. ::shudder::

Oh and for me it started to get much easier stress wise when my kiddo started getting bigger and more predictable. He started to sleep thru the night at a year old (!!!!!) but from that point on he's been pretty easy he's now 21 months and aside from destroying the house in a blink of an eye and climbing on everything and I mean everything it's not so bad.
Speaking of mess... here's my little terror doing what he does best!
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f350/phoenixta/DSCN0287-1.jpg

She's the first and the last.... I'm 34 years old and never planned on kids in the first place. Haha your little boy is adorable! I have a pic of me at that age with my face covered in oreo cookies.​

 

[destiny_56085]

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I'm going to order a bottle of it just to see if it helps. I bought a bottle of the Equate brand of the gas drops and tried them yesterday. Not sure if that made the difference with her sleeping all the time or not. The more expensive Mylicon ones didn't do a thing. She's also on the Similac Advance formula. Maybe switching over to the fussiness/gas forumula might help too.

 

[destiny_56085]

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That white gal is very pretty!!!! Love that nice soft cushion and tight wings.

 

[destiny_56085]

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I think the weather is partly to blame too. We finally saw a few days in the 60's up here and now its dropped back down again. Low 40's and possibility of sleet/snow next few days. As for % protein, 12% is maintenance level according to most nutrition books. They suggest upping the protein to 16-18% due to the added stress of laying. Any more according to them is a waste of money because its just excreted. Might work in the books, but then there is real life..... How many of the old-time farmers only fed cracked corn (which is only 9% protein) and they still got eggs? I think you have to monkey with it just to see what works for you. Personally I feed an 18% pellet by Kent feeds that I am very satisfied with. When my birds are in a hard molt, I throw in some cat food too. A few years ago I bought some exhibition standard minorcas from a notable breeder up here. I could not keep those buggers in condition or get them to lay. I finally asked the breeder what his secret was and he said they had to be on 28% turkey starter at least.

 

[destiny_56085]

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I have those cockerel pens right next to breeder pens sometimes. Right now one of my bachelor pens is right next to my pen of faverolle breeders. It might work better to totally separate them off out. Different barn...can't see or hear them. Out of sight out of mind.... Well I have 1 big 50x100' barn to work with and have to make do. As long as they aren't in the same pen as the girls, it seems to work for me.