Silkie thread!

[chickens29]

I love silkies, I've gotten three from Tractor Supply a couple of years ago, but two of them had really weird extra toes. One of the two had their extra toe growing on its toe, like attached... :I The other one had not 5, but 6 toes. The extra one was a weird pillar of leg scales or something that got an inch before it stopped growing. They were all hens.

They were all non bearded, but they had significantly less fluffiness than other non bearded ones you may see on Google images or at a fair. They also hated me and growled at me when I held them. When I wasn't holding them, they'd make little "poof" noises. I still like silkies, the ones I got are just really low quality silkies. I have only one left now and it still doesn't tolerate me even when I give it treats. My other chickens like me, but the silkie just growls at me. Sometimes I wonder if that is a nice thing to say in my silkie's language.

One of them laid eggs shaped like pills for about a month too.

If I ever do get a silkie again, I'll get a quality one lol.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks for the links. Glad to see many folks had luck with it. I'm seeing that a lot of the birds who recovered ended up a bit funny in the head/neck. Maybe if she recovers to walking she can be my new indoor chicken. Been needing a new house chicken...
Thnaks for the advice. I picked up the vitamins today, I actually went out to get Rooster Booster crumbles but ended up buying parrot vitamin mix instead, looks like good stuff. The feed is not the issue, I work at the feed dealer where I get my food, it's a high quality local brand and it's usually milled the same week we get it. So anything I get isn't more than 3-4 weeks since milling at the most, usually fresher, we've been ordering quite often lately.

So is it just grain ? The vitamins I was referring to are the ones added to a well balanced pellet, they don't last very long especially in a moist environment. Grains on their own aren't enough as most of the soils are selenium deficient and the grain can only be as good as the soil.
Check that the parrot mix doesn't contain iron.

 

[Sylvester017]

what is the pricing on those other products?

Manna Pro Poultry Protector is a 16 oz bottle I get for around $16 but I've seen it more on the internet and less in the feed stores so it depends where you source it. Every month as a preventative I spray each chicken once under each wing, under the beard, behind the neck, around the vent, and on the chest between the legs and then spray the coop nooks and crannies per label instructions - the whole coop doesn't need spraying - only the areas specified on the label. There is also a 32-oz size. There are a variety of Manna Pro products like one that is specific for mites, scaly leg, etc. Apparently Cackle Hatchery uses Poultry Protector as I've seen their video on lice treatment, and they sell it on their website. Check local feed stores first before purchasing on the internet to save on shipping costs if at all possible. I've used Poultry Protector for nearly 5 years now and it takes care of any insect I've sprayed with it - especially ants that get to a broken egg in the nestbox when I don't want ants crawling up my arm while I clean the mess.

 

[QueenMisha]

So is it just grain ? The vitamins I was referring to are the ones added to a well balanced pellet, they don't last very long especially in a moist environment. Grains on their own aren't enough as most of the soils are selenium deficient and the grain can only be as good as the soil.
Check that the parrot mix doesn't contain iron.

It's not a grain mix, all crumbles. Wheat-based with sunflower, pea, and soybean meals added. Currently they are on a 22% turkey/broiler growing ration. They spent the first week or two on a 27% medicated pheasant start, and they also had a stint on 20% medicated chick start as well as 20% non-med chick start. I've attached a photo of the feed label of what I am currently feeding them.

The vitamins do contain Iron. 0.4455mg according to the content label. Can that be problematic?

 

[Fancychooklady]

It's not a grain mix, all crumbles. Wheat-based with sunflower, pea, and soybean meals added. Currently they are on a 22% turkey/broiler growing ration. They spent the first week or two on a 27% medicated pheasant start, and they also had a stint on 20% medicated chick start as well as 20% non-med chick start. I've attached a photo of the feed label of what I am currently feeding them.

The vitamins do contain Iron. 0.4455mg according to the content label. Can that be problematic?

I'm not sure that I would feed as high as 27% but the ingredients in the pic are similar to a game bird finisher here. The calcium is nice and low and phosherous and lysine are present. The only thing I would question is the soy content. Soy is a legume and it depletes selenium. Interesting that they can testify that it is non GMO. Given the fact that you are feeding a soy based product, Perhaps you should give vitamin E as well .

 

[Fancychooklady]

Iron toxicity can be fatal. It's best to avoid using multi vitamins that contain it, polivisol without iron would be a better alternative. It can also cause digestive disruption and organ damage.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/t..._and_iron_toxicity.html?qt=Excess iron&alt=sh

 

[QueenMisha]

I'm not sure that I would feed as high as 27% but the ingredients in the pic are similar to a game bird finisher here. The calcium is nice and low and phosherous and lysine are present. The only thing I would question is the soy content. Soy is a legume and it depletes selenium. Interesting that they can testify that it is non GMO. Given the fact that you are feeding a soy based product, Perhaps you should give vitamin E as well .

I usually don't but I had some left over from peachicks I needed to use up. And I had some young poults in with the Silkies for a while.

Interesting about the soy, didn't know that. I don't think the soy content is very high though, the brand has many soy-free options and it's not a main ingredient in any of their feeds. I'll see if my boss can ask the company if they have the exact soy content next time he orders feed.

Their non-GMO lines are certified to be non-GMO. Most are made from almost all organic ingredients but not certified organic, which is great because it saves a lot of cost to get non-certified.

Iron toxicity can be fatal. It's best to avoid using multi vitamins that contain it, polivisol without iron would be a better alternative. It can also cause digestive disruption and organ damage.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/t..._and_iron_toxicity.html?qt=Excess iron&alt=sh

Hmm. Yikes. I'll try to get polyvisol instead tomorrow then. Any use for this stuff now that I've bought and opened it? Maybe a low dose in my regular flock's feed or water? (It's powder, I think designed to be given either way). I'm sure they can always use a little vitamin boost, especially with this weather...

 

[Fancychooklady]

I usually don't but I had some left over from peachicks I needed to use up. And I had some young poults in with the Silkies for a while.

Interesting about the soy, didn't know that. I don't think the soy content is very high though, the brand has many soy-free options and it's not a main ingredient in any of their feeds. I'll see if my boss can ask the company if they have the exact soy content next time he orders feed.

Their non-GMO lines are certified to be non-GMO. Most are made from almost all organic ingredients but not certified organic, which is great because it saves a lot of cost to get non-certified.
Hmm. Yikes. I'll try to get polyvisol instead tomorrow then. Any use for this stuff now that I've bought and opened it? Maybe a low dose in my regular flock's feed or water? (It's powder, I think designed to be given either way). I'm sure they can always use a little vitamin boost, especially with this weather...

The trick is getting the dosage right. There are alternatives to polivisol. It is often recommended , but only in case of emergency, there is always a chemist open somewhere, but feed stores are always closed when you have an emergency.

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/avian-super-pack-4oz

This one can be given directly into the beak and then added to the water.

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/...84af9fa2600f00000499/533884b09fa2600f000004ae

 

[QueenMisha]

The trick is getting the dosage right. There are alternatives to polivisol. It is often recommended , but only in case of emergency, there is always a chemist open somewhere, but feed stores are always closed when you have an emergency.

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/avian-super-pack-4oz

This one can be given directly into the beak and then added to the water.

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/...84af9fa2600f00000499/533884b09fa2600f000004ae

Oh I do have Nutri-Drench on hand! Love that stuff. I'll bring some of that down from the coop tomorrow morning.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Oh I do have Nutri-Drench on hand! Love that stuff. I'll bring some of that down from the coop tomorrow morning.

Excellent. Does it contain vit E ?
Just found the list of ingredients, yes it does contain vit E.

http://www.drugs.com/vet/poultry-nutri-drench.html