Silkie thread!

[crystal10asee]

I've hatched pullet eggs before. The chicks are usually smaller than normal. If you want normal sized chicks, wait a while.

I wouldn't worry about hatching eggs from a bird that's been wormed. I wouldn't eat an egg from one.

I add  ground pumpkin seeds, garlic powder, and cayenne powder to my chickens fermented feed. It does nothing to the taste of the eggs and will make the chickens body inhospitable to worms and disease. When a chicken eats fermented feed, a greater proportion of protein becomes available to the bird during digestion. They eat less and put on weight faster. This is my experience.

can I get your recipe,and explain fermenting their feed please(process) can you pm me?

 

[JacquiJ]

My pretty girl, Akroma, from Bobbi Porto that I got at Newnan. I just love her! She is getting so big!!

 

[crystal10asee]

can I get your recipe,and explain fermenting their feed please(process) can you pm me?

never mind! When I came on this thread it opened past the one where you explained the process.sorry!

can I get your recipe,and explain fermenting their feed please(process) can you pm me?

 

[Sanna]

This is what I adore about silkies! Their need to nurture. I can't wait until I have this on my silkie farm.. Too stinkin' cute!

Thanks!

 

[CookFarms]

What show? What did you win? I think she looks pretty from behind.

I won a junior chicken show in florida. She won best of variety. I also have another silkie rooster that won best of breed and variety

 

[Mumsy]

can I get your recipe,and explain fermenting their feed please(process) can you pm me?

People have been fermenting food for themselves and their live stock for centuries. I am new to the process of fermenting feed for my chickens this year. My Silkie chicks love it. They can eat it soupy or oat meal thick. I keep it on the thicker side for my adult growing and breeding Silkies so their crests and beards stay cleaner.

I will post here for you my special recipe that is a marvel at keeping my flock healthy, thriving, worm free, and in good fertility. I feed my day old chicks a non medicated chick starter version and my layer and breeders an all purpose crumble version.

If all you want to ferment is a small amount, say under a gallon at a time, then use a small bucket or a large bowl and keep it on your kitchen counter top covered with a tea towel. If you want to make a three gallon amount, the easiest way is to drill holes in a three gallon bucket on the bottom and around the lower sides. Then you nest the smaller bucket into a larger bucket. I use food grade buckets that my local deli gives away for free.

My basic chick starter recipe is:

Two to Four cups of non medicated chick starter crumble (depends on how many chicks your feeding)
1/2 cup ground pumpkin seed (prevents worms)
Tablespoon to teaspoon of dried organic Cayenne (prevents cocci and worms)
Tablespoon to teaspoon of powdered organic Garlic (many health benefits and prevents worms)
Tablespoon of organic flake Oregano (many health benefits. Mostly a heart benefit.

A splash or glug (Tablespoon or more) of Un-pasturized Apple Cider vinegar from the health food isle. I started with a bottle of Braggs. Now I make my own.

Sometimes I stir in plain yogurt. Fresh crushed garlic cloves. Corn and wheat scratch. Alfalfa cubes. Black Oil Sunflower Seeds and fresh Oregano or Basil from the garden for the adult birds. These additives will put on weight and fat so I'm careful how much and when I add.

Enough water to make it soupy. Cover with a tea towel and let it sit at room temperature for a couple days. It will swell up. Stir it once or twice a day. On the second day it will start to ferment and bubble. It will smell pickle-y or yeast-y. It is fine to dip out, strain, and feed at this point for most health benefits. If it isn't bubbling, it is still ok to feed. Some chicks and chickens will be slow to take to it. Especially if they have only been eating dry crumble. I start mine on it first feed of the morning while they are hungry. Once they get used to the wet mash texture they go crazy for it. My chicks and chickens scamble over the tops of each other to get to the feed dish each morning. I keep the dish full for the chicks. My adult flocks get as much as they will finish in an hour or so and then I feed again before the lights are out for the night. There is a lot of information on FF here on BYC. My favorite thread about it is https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds/4720#post_10583885

 

[peepblessed]

When a hen is taking care of chicks, when does she start laying eggs again? will she not start up until she's done taking care of chicks?

around 5 to 8 weeks.

I got 3 Silkie chicks for my very, very broody hen a couple of days ago. She's THRILLED with her new stepchildren!

The kids have only been here for 3 days now and I put them right to work. And their mom! We had an Easter Egg Hunt today at the farm with 6000 eggs that we filled by hand. Every single one of them! Mom and babies were in a box at the registration table where people picked up their tickets. I missed it all but apparently the chickens were a big hit! And our visitors learned a little something about Silkies also.

Here they are, back in their temporary apartment.

This little one is my favorite

Precious photos!

My favorite hen out of all of my girls. She is very sweet tempered and doesn't mind handling, Has nice type and good feet. Don't mind her dirty crest, it's been nasty and rainy all day. I would so like to show her one day but her comb isn't smooth and wrinkly like a walnut comb should be. It's very small and bumpy, but not a single comb. It sort of almost reminds me of a ridiculously small rose comb crossed with a walnut comb. Would that be a DQ?

Wet her crest back and take a photo for us.

I have a 9wk old chick that has had eye issues for over a week. Both it's eyes are swollen and sometimes sealed shut. It has been getting water and durmycin10 in its water for 8 days, and i have started flushing with saline solution 3 times a day. When it's eyes are open, it sees fine, no blindness. This chick is also half the size of its siblings that were all hatched the same time. Any other advice or recommendations? Or info on what might be going on?
Its eating/drinking/pooping normally, and also has normal posture..

I don't remember who told me this but we used it for kittens and now I use it for chicks. one drop of baby shampoon in 1/2 cup warm water. Wash eyes thoroughly to remove all build up every time they stick shut. Antibiotic eye ointment may also be effective. Depends if it's bacterial or infection. It could also be allergy.

I have aussie/queensland crosses that are awesome with all my chicks especially the younger one Gus he is very protective of them!

Awwww! My babies look so pretty! Wonderful dog!

Ah, Komondors. Very unique dogs. I would go crazy with one though, I would always want to brush out their cords. I bet they're fun to bathe

An Anatolian is my little tibit of recommendation, though, even with the barking and shedding, if you are willing to take a leadership role. Ours has no mercy to predators on our property, but is calm and almost lazy seeming while on watch. His coat is very easy to keep up, although it's not 'hair'. A good day to brush out with an undercoat rake during shedding season usually eliminates most of the fur. Our Kota is very loyal and protective of us, and you could not ask for a dog with a sweeter, gentler personality (he's not very gentle to predators, however

) I love large dogs. My dream guard dog is a Tibetan Mastiff. I would also love an Afghan hound (speaking of hair that continuously grows....haha. But they are hunting dogs, not guard dogs)

What a great boy!!

A handsome boy he is!!! Our Afghan hound thinks those Silkies look just a wee bit like slow bunnies...

Here are our 2 Silkies we are raising at the moment. I love these guys. They are so friendly.






Need to get updated photos. These are about a week ago.

They look identical! So cute!

These are my new silkies!






Here they are with their 2 little buddies, a porcelain d'Uccle and a buff orpington bantam!

Real cuties!

I was searching and came across an old thread on the difference between self-blue and gray. Sonoran had posted pictures, but alas, they weren't there anymore.

Is anyone up to explaining the difference; preferably so non-geneticist I can understand ?

. I've got these silvers, but have no idea which category they'd fall into. I'm pretty sure they don't meet breed standards for either, but it would be neat to know which they'd come closest to......

Thanks!

Here's some great photos of greys. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/478550/what-does-a-grey-silkie-look-like/10

And here's a photo of my self-blue

 

[crystal10asee]

People have been fermenting food for themselves and their live stock for centuries. I am new  to the process of fermenting feed for my chickens this year. My Silkie chicks love it. They can eat it soupy or oat meal thick. I keep it on the thicker side for my adult growing and breeding Silkies so their crests and beards stay cleaner.

I will post here for you my special recipe that is a marvel at keeping my flock healthy, thriving, worm free, and in good fertility. I feed my day old chicks a non medicated chick starter  version and my layer and breeders an all purpose crumble version.

If all you want to ferment is a small amount, say under a gallon at a time, then use a small bucket or a large bowl and keep it on your kitchen counter top covered with a tea towel. If you want to make a three gallon amount, the easiest way is to drill holes in a three gallon bucket on the bottom and around the lower sides. Then you nest the smaller bucket into a larger bucket. I use food grade buckets that my local deli gives away for free.

My basic chick starter recipe is:

Two to Four cups of non medicated chick starter crumble (depends on how many chicks your feeding)
1/2 cup ground pumpkin seed (prevents worms)
Tablespoon to teaspoon of dried organic Cayenne (prevents cocci and  worms)
Tablespoon to teaspoon of powdered organic Garlic (many health benefits and prevents worms)
Tablespoon  of organic flake Oregano (many health benefits. Mostly a heart benefit.

A splash or glug (Tablespoon or more) of Un-pasturized Apple Cider vinegar from the health food isle. I started with a bottle of Braggs. Now I make my own.

Sometimes I stir in plain yogurt. Fresh crushed garlic cloves. Corn and wheat scratch. Alfalfa cubes. Black Oil Sunflower Seeds and fresh Oregano or Basil from the garden for the adult birds. These additives will put on weight and fat so I'm careful how much and when I add.

Enough water to make it soupy. Cover with a tea towel and let it sit at room temperature for a couple days. It will swell up. Stir it once or twice a day. On the second day it will start to ferment and bubble. It will smell pickle-y or yeast-y. It is fine to dip out, strain, and feed at this point for most health benefits. If it isn't bubbling, it is still ok to feed. Some chicks and chickens  will be slow to take to it. Especially if they have only been eating dry crumble. I start mine on it first feed of the morning while they are hungry. Once they get used to the wet mash texture they go crazy for it. My chicks and chickens  scamble over the tops of each other to get to the feed dish each morning. I keep the dish full for the chicks. My adult flocks get as much as they will finish in an hour or so and then I feed again before the lights are out for the night. There is a lot of information on FF here on BYC. My favorite thread about it is https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds/4720#post_10583885

thank you so much,I will definately give this a try. I assume it will help w/not having to buy a lot of meds. Again thanks

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I just started my first batch if FF feed for my Silkies. I've got a small flock, so its "cooking" in a small container inside another on my kitchen counter. I was going to start it sooner, but didn't think I had any UPACV. I was searching thru my cabinets for something else, and lo and behold- way at the back was a brand new bottle. So, I whipped it up for them. I can't wait to feed it to them!!!!

 

[omaeve]

Does anyone have a comparison picture of a buff silkie chick to a red silkie chick? I'm curious which is which!

this is one of my red silkies


at 2 days old I do not have buff