Silkie thread!

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks for the advice. I'll do what I can to pick those up from the store after work tomorrow.

I understand the notion of overfeeding protein but I've never actually seen any real world damage to birds from feeding a high level of protein. Calcium, certainly, but not protein. I know of breeders who had fed in such a way for many years on with no issues. I have seen none to be sure. I would likely have them on an 18% mix if I could find a wheat-based one, if only for the cheaper cost, but even then my bantam pen doubles as a grow out pen, so I frequently have young turkeys and guineas living there anyways - and they do require a high level of protein even as adults.

There are plenty of scientific papers around highlighting the dangers of excess protein in the diet. Too much protein over an extended period of time results in wet droppings and increased urates and ultimately organ damage .

http://msucares.com/poultry/feeds/poultry_feeds.html

http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/diarrhoea/index.aspx

And this one shows the very graphic results of gout.

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

 

[Fancychooklady]

Interesting as I've had white silkie bantams born white and obviously turned out white. This little one is almost iridescent yellow.

My whites can hatch anywhere from a soft grey to yellow , and anywhere in between.

 

[tjbuckshotbarn]

I have some turn out with this chimpmunk pattern and I have a white, splash, partridge, and blue.

 

[WyandotteLove1]

She looks like a blue partridge. I'm no silkie expert, but my friend is decently familiar with them. Her profile is KingChicken something or other. I'll tell you when I get her real profile.

 

[joydix]

mine hatched last tuesday-wedndesday....i only got 3. Black, white and???? any thoughts???

 

[Fancychooklady]

mine hatched last tuesday-wedndesday....i only got 3. Black, white and???? any thoughts???

The bottom pic looks like a splash. Were the parent stock blue ? If so , your black is more likely to be a blue.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I have some turn out with this chimpmunk pattern and I have a white, splash, partridge, and blue.

Chipmunk stripes = partridge.

 

[QueenMisha]

There are plenty of scientific papers around highlighting the dangers of excess protein in the diet. Too much protein over an extended period of time results in wet droppings and increased urates and ultimately organ damage .

http://msucares.com/poultry/feeds/poultry_feeds.html

http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/diarrhoea/index.aspx

And this one shows the very graphic results of gout.

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

Interesting links. I do notice that they don't mention how much excess protein caused said organ damage. I'm more inclined to think that the kind of levels that cause that much damage would be quite high - 25, 30%, or more. I would really rather doubt that 6% protein makes much a difference in the birds. I've got birds who have been on 20 or 22% since hatch, for several years now, and upon butchering (mostly old hens) I've seen no gout or organ damage. Occasionally crappy or miscolored lungs but that would be due to the Mycoplasma my flock carries.

I've never noticed my bird's droppings to be any wetter than normal. They are all typically quite well formed.

 

[Momma2bellas]

Help!! My Silkie hen that I have is 10 months old and is now broody for the 4th time. I have noticed she has lost or pulled a lot of feathers off her chest/stomach area, is this normal? I go out a few times a day and move her off nest to outside with others but she has still lost weight. She will eat and drink when I move her so not sure what else to do, really don't feel like locking her up in a cage with air blowing over chest its just too cold outside for that. Any help would wonderful, she is my favorite one I have and I've already dealt with so much with her.

 

[Alex1010]

Help!! My Silkie hen that I have is 10 months old and is now broody for the 4th time.  I have noticed she has lost or pulled a lot of feathers off her chest/stomach area, is this normal? I go out a few times a day and move her off nest to outside with others but she has still lost weight. She will eat and drink when I move her so not sure what else to do, really don't feel like locking her up in a cage with air blowing over chest its just too cold outside for that. Any help would wonderful, she is my favorite one I have and I've already dealt with so much with her.

Wow I need a hen like that lol, but she'll huddle up and cover her chest she'll be okay.