Silkie thread!

[Suzierd]

Well, Parmesano passed while I slept. I am gonna do a necropsy and see if there are tumors causing this. Someone that lives close to me that got 7 M Best chicks soon after me only has 1 chick remaining. They lost an average of one a week. So there is something going on in her lines.

Very sorry to hear. Please let us know what the neocropsy results are.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:
10-12 weeks. She is still alive this morning, but was laying face down and wont move. She did poop while I had her in my hand, so at least I know things are moving inside. I think there may be other things at play here. She is one that has always been less active than the rest. Is there anything linked to too much in-breeding(not adding new blood every few years)? If she doesn't make it(I will be shocked if she is alive when I get up this afternoon) then I will perform a necropsy to see her insides to determine if this was truly out of my control. At least with Teriyaki, I knew it was my fault with the meat piece too big, but Parmesano has me flubbered.
Treat for coccidiosis.

Nope, it's not that. Her heart was on the small side and her spleen and liver were severely enlarged. I cut open her crop and intestines. She had grit and some food in her crop, but not blocked, I was able to move it out of the crop by squeezing. Her intestines looked normal, no blood or lining being shed. Just poo. She looked way different inside than Teriyaki did when I did hers(she is the one that I caused the passing with the intestinal blockage from too big a piece of meat). Her organs were normal in size and color, just had the unbroken piece of meat in the intestine.

 

[Mumsy]

Nope, it's not that. Her heart was on the small side and her spleen and liver were severely enlarged. I cut open her crop and intestines. She had grit and some food in her crop, but not blocked, I was able to move it out of the crop by squeezing. Her intestines looked normal, no blood or lining being shed. Just poo. She looked way different inside than Teriyaki did when I did hers(she is the one that I caused the passing with the intestinal blockage from too big a piece of meat). Her organs were normal in size and color, just had the unbroken piece of meat in the intestine.

This is interesting. Did the spleen and liver look like they were too big for the space? Do you think she could have died of congenital heart failure?

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote: I am pretty sure that is not what happened, the heart swells a lot in congestive heart failure.

 

[ChicksNherps]

Silkies rarely lay that early in my experience. I never expect eggs before they are 9-10 months old, and am not surprised if they are more than a year, although that is not all that common for them to wait that long. Birds that come to about the right maturity during winter often do not lay until the longer days and warmer weather of spriing, adding a few months to the wait.

The breeder I got Icelynn from said all her silkies start laying around 6 months. I am hoping Icelynn does, because Nori sure doesn't! and she is a year old!

 

[heirloomorps]

Silkies rarely lay that early in my experience. I never expect eggs before they are 9-10 months old, and am not surprised if they are more than a year, although that is not all that common for them to wait that long. Birds that come to about the right maturity during winter often do not lay until the longer days and warmer weather of spriing, adding a few months to the wait.


I just feel very lucky. Every single one of my chickens has started early. I have EE's, Silkies, Cochin's, Plymouth Rocks, Jersey Blacks, Orpingtons, Brahmas, and Australorps. Most started at 16-17 weeks. My Silkies started around 5-6 months. And one of those is broody and sitting on 5 eggs.

You are lucky... I have a Silkie who is 9 months and still not laying!

 

[Paulajon]

Well, yesterday I decided to remove all the hay from the silkies runs and change it for some pine shaving (under it it is dirt). The runs are covered, but if it rains heavily the sides get wet (so the pine shavings would get a bit wet). I was thinking instead of pine shaving could I use sand (cheaper). Is it a good idea?

I have sand in my runs mounded in the middle so that I don't get puddles when it rains. in my coops have wood floors with shavings. maybe use sand that drains good and a bit of shavings on top. and one of my coops does get wet on a couple of walls near the floor so I just scoop out the wet when needed add a little more shavings to help it dry.

 

[Mumsy]

I am pretty sure that is not what happened, the heart swells a lot in congestive heart failure.

Congenital heart defects are the most common type of major birth defect. I would be very interested in whether this is showing up on a regular basis within this chicks strain.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:
Well, there is another on this thread that lives close by and got 8 chicks from MB right after I did, they have lost 7 chicks, about 1 a week.

 

[Mumsy]

Well, there is another on this thread that lives close by and got 8 chicks from MB right after I did, they have lost 7 chicks, about 1 a week.

Did they do necropsy exams on all seven? What were their findings?