Silkie thread!

[hbrown322]

Anyone close to Indianapolis? Once my two silkies start crowing I will need to re-home them.

 

[moomoodiddy]

Yes I agree. I did try feather fixer once and that was just as bad quarter of the bag was dust. I use the dusty particles left over and add kefir, apple sauce, or water to it and serve it like a treat. They gobble it right up.
Anyone have any luck with silkies and pellets instead of crumble. Mine did eat the feather fixer pellets but I have heard they are smaller.

I have accidentally gotten pellets before and my silkies still eat it, but I just cannot stand the thought of one choking on a pellet and I usually have young birds integrating in the flock that may not be able to ingest.

 

[Hinotori]

I've offered both Flockraiser crumbles and pellets at the same time because I was low on crumbles. Without fail all my birds, silkies, EEs, ameraucana, and brahma will eat the crumbles first if given a choice. They also learn who has crumbles in their pen and if let free range all at once will head directly to that pen to eat the crumbles.

The large fowl waste too much with crumbles and beaking it out. I've never had that issue with silkies. If it's in a bowl instead of a feeder I have had one scratch it out, but others quickly clean that up. That's something my large fowl won't do.

 

[NNYchick]

I've offered both Flockraiser crumbles and pellets at the same time because I was low on crumbles. Without fail all my birds, silkies, EEs, ameraucana, and brahma will eat the crumbles first if given a choice. They also learn who has crumbles in their pen and if let free range all at once will head directly to that pen to eat the crumbles.

The large fowl waste too much with crumbles and beaking it out. I've never had that issue with silkies. If it's in a bowl instead of a feeder I have had one scratch it out, but others quickly clean that up. That's something my large fowl won't do.

What I don't like about crumble is the tray on the feeder fills with dust, then I have to dump it out, for the crumble to come out of top. I do save it and feed it moistened but I end up spilling some on ground. It's just a pain. The SS Flock balancer said its pellets but has bantams and pigeons among other types of birds list as recommended for. I'm wondering if it might be a smaller pellet like feather booster.

 

[FishMtFarm]

I feed pellets to my flock of 70 silkies and I also have chick grower crumbles as I have young birds in the flock. They eat the pellets just as fast as the crumble and never had anyone choke. I feed the nature smart organic pellets. They love it and don't seem to be picky and don't seem to prefer one over the other.

 

[Hinotori]

I've never had a bird choke. But then chicken throats aren't like ours. They can still breath once the food is past the back of the throat. It doesn't use the same tube to get to the crop as the lungs.

I've tubed enough chickens. It's quick and easy once you understand where your aiming. (Had a botulism issues. I managed to save 4 of the 7). Helps if a hen has cocci and won't eat or drink as well.

 

[sue25]

Had my first Silkie frizzle hatch today
Has black skin but can't tell about the earlobes at the moment.

 

[NNYchick]

I feed pellets to my flock of 70 silkies and I also have chick grower crumbles as I have young birds in the flock. They eat the pellets just as fast as the crumble and never had anyone choke. I feed the nature smart organic pellets. They love it and don't seem to be picky and don't seem to prefer one over the other.

70 silkies wow it didn't seem like that many or I didn't see all your pens.
I am going to try the pellets to see. Even if they don't eat them they like moistened food so I can always soften them so they don't go to waste.
Another question I have a cockerel that is 7 months old and I noticed that every time I go in the run everyone is huddled in a corner together and he is standing in the middle of the run, chases others away from food at times. Today I moved him over to my set up I used this summer and all the other birds were eating, wandering around, dust bathing, seemed happier without him. Can I separate him during the day and return him in evening. Will he grow out of this when the pullets are older. I really don't want to get rid of him. Any suggestions.

 

[FishMtFarm]

I have had a lot of chicks hatch since then and am growing them out. They will eat the pellets if you put them out. They might be blah about it at first but they get hungry and start eating them. They have you trained to feed them what they want, lol. As far as the rooster, mine are not chasers so not sure how he will be.

 

[Bryam]

Wow! !!