Silkie thread!

[roostercantrell]

My chicks start out first bathing in their food and shavings. They are so cute to watch.

One of my week old babies died today. It wasn't growing as fast as the others and was about half their size. I have one more that's not thriving like it should. I don't expect it to make it either.

I think its safe to say I'm hooked on Silkies. I have 7 grown, 6 six WK olds, 7 one WK olds, 2 that should hatch this weekend, and I put 19 in the incubator yesterday.

sorry bout your loss but yes i would say you are hooked lol

 

[K Epp]

Is it okay to feed Silkies and other chicks game bird starter? I'm getting quail and know they need it, but is it okay to feed it to everything?

 

[roostercantrell]

Just caught maggie doing this.

i must say that i am sorry for the poor attempt at a bad joke about lucy i know it breaks your heart to think that may well be a real possiblity it breaks my heart to hear that... back to maggie i had one of my 3 week old jump on top of the water bottle and was suprised just sat there with this oh crap what do i do now look it was funny

 

[Fancychooklady]

i read that article it was very informative that is one reason i asked also i saw two of my chicks acting like they were dust bathing earlier today

Dust bathing is as natural as eating for chicks. My SLW took her 13 chicks for a dust bath in my pine mulch. Watching them is hilarious, at first they run in looking at mum cause they think momma has found ' the mother load ' of worms. They then realise that this is fun and under they go, scratching and rolling , all the time getting under mums feet.

And here's my youngest Silkie learning to do the ' dirt bath shuffle '.

Oh come on mum, shift over.

 

[Fancychooklady]

My chicks start out first bathing in their food and shavings. They are so cute to watch.

One of my week old babies died today. It wasn't growing as fast as the others and was about half their size. I have one more that's not thriving like it should. I don't expect it to make it either.

I think its safe to say I'm hooked on Silkies. I have 7 grown, 6 six WK olds, 7 one WK olds, 2 that should hatch this weekend, and I put 19 in the incubator yesterday.

I would try it on some ' save a chick '. I had one hatch without absorbing its yolk. Fed it a slurry of baby bird feed and to my surprise it pulled through.
Check the calcium level on the game bird starter, it may be too high for your chicks.

 

[K Epp]

What is the idea calcium percentage?

 

[Fancychooklady]

What is the idea calcium percentage?

I think it's 4-6% for pullets and 1-2% in cockerels.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I was wrong, it should not exceed 3%.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/232/gout

 

[Iluvmysilkies]

Happy update The week has gotten so much better then the last. Nomore sick babies, they are finally getting stronger including my limping baby! She finally started walking the last few days and looks almost normal today I wonder if my giving her vitamins helped or if it was just time she needed. And if you remember, one of the babies I lost was my crippled blue that I made booties for but found her dead the next morning. Well when I picked up my new pretty girl dixie yesterday morning, they just gave me a blue baby to for free because her toes were not perfect. She's such a nice color though, and ive never seen one like her. She's a pale blue but has really dark wing feathers. It looks so cool! Cant wait to see how that color grows on her. I just made booties for her now, to try to fix the outter toes but at least she's walking. Then I cuddled my new dixie tonight and she layed on me for nearly the whole movie lol.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Happy update The week has gotten so much better then the last. Nomore sick babies, they are finally getting stronger including my limping baby! She finally started walking the last few days and looks almost normal today I wonder if my giving her vitamins helped or if it was just time she needed. And if you remember, one of the babies I lost was my crippled blue that I made booties for but found her dead the next morning. Well when I picked up my new pretty girl dixie yesterday morning, they just gave me a blue baby to for free because her toes were not perfect. She's such a nice color though, and ive never seen one like her. She's a pale blue but has really dark wing feathers. It looks so cool! Cant wait to see how that color grows on her. I just made booties for her now, to try to fix the outter toes but at least she's walking. Then I cuddled my new dixie tonight and she layed on me for nearly the whole movie lol. 

Well done. There's no stopping you now you have knowledge.