Silkie thread!

[countrygirl74]

Looking for an new food, got a question

If i'm planning on fermenting my feed, can I use one with fish meal? So far every organic and soy free feeds I have found have some sort of animal protein in them and I know mumsy(I think it was her) said it will stink if it's fermented.

I think I can answer this one!

I use an organic grower mash for my older girls and boys (they are almost 6 months now) and the same brand of organic mash for my babies, only it's a starter mash. I ferment both. The grower mash smells just fine, but the baby food - ewww. It does kind of stink. It doesn't smell up the house, but it's stinky when I stir it up and put in their dishes. I looked on the ingredients and I noticed that both contain shrimp meal, but only the baby starter contains fish meal. So, the shrimp meal doesn't seem to cause any problems as the grower mash smells good. It definitely must be the fish meal. As soon as I am finished with this big bag, they will be old enough I think to start on the other. So, yes, it does kind of stink, but as I said, I don't really smell it unless I am right close to it or actually scooping it out.

ETA: If I could describe the smell, it would be close to rotten eggs...

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Oooo. Pretty. They look like greys to me.

I really like the one on the right.

Poulettes I have never hatched any so really can't offer any advice except, you might do better posting in the hatching forum. I know people do "staggered" hatches where some eggs were started at different times. But I don't know how they handle it. Eggs are usually marked with the date but, after taking some that were started by the broody, you really don't know how far along they are.

Thank you. I will probably ask there then.

Happy Easter from Nori and Icelynn!

This is too cute. I have always wanted to ask you... when you take the girls out, do people know they are chickens?

Quote:

I have had these same problems with broodies. I rarely use them.

So how do you break them? I have another broody, pfff I kept disturbing her, but she is persistent. I have three now and my poor rooster is starting to get lonely

I just hatched 18 of my own eggs that were staggered. All of them made it but 1 and it was a tiny chick. I got excited and kept adding eggs to the bator, some were even a week apart and they all hatched. I didn't move any from the bator just the chicks when they were almost dry.

But when you raised the humidity, how did it work out? Sorry I don't understand how to do it....

Everyone has switched to the fermented feed now. Do they look like they like it?

I offered my FF for the first time. My LF devoured it, but my silkies not at all. Some ate a little bit, but the majority did not even look at it. I was very disappointed.

Just had a necklace pendant made of one of my girls! What do you guys think??

Nice!

Doc Holiday is 1 week older (15 weeks now).

Holding those wings nice and tight.

Buck got the short end of the genetics stick. He has a wry tail, curved spine(does not affect ability to walk around) and his lower beak is too long and both top and bottom beaks need trimmed from time to time. He will likely never be able to pick grass. I am working on switching him to wet feed then to FF. He went out on grass for the first time today. He didn't quite know what to think, just kept snuggling up against my legs. He is super docile, loves being petted and is going to be a wonderful pet.

Poor little guy... he has a lot on his plate. I hatched a girl (shipped eggs) who has a "hawk" beak. I sand it every week or so. I use the pedipaws (got it from Amazon) and I really love it. It is very precise and she stays very calm.

These are dresses for dogs

XS fits them perfectly! As for saddles, they don't seem to mind them, I think a turkey would be fine with them. But I don't know if they make saddles large enough so I would look into XL dog dresses with the large arm holes like these ones, they may fit much better!

You are so funny. One of these days, I will get one for one of my girls!

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

So yesterday I was disappointed because none of my chicks hatched (day 21 was friday) but this morning when I went in the coop I saw a little head popping out. I was so happy! And after another one hatched and another one! I only counted 3 (out of 7) but I did not want to disturb her more. They are my first chicks from my flock. Only issue I have, mama is full of red mites. I did not notice until today. I checked the rest of the flock and none of them have any, they are all on her. Poor girl. I gave her a drop of frontline on her head but I was scared to give her more because of the chicks. Now I am worried the chicks will get mites as well. I want to wait a few more days before I move everybody to the brooding area and change entirely the nesting boxes, but if the chicks have mites, what can I do?
Here is a pic of one of them....

 

[Feathersprings]

Just had a necklace pendant made of one of my girls! What do you guys think??

Very cute!!

 

[moomoodiddy]

can i mix acv and a vitamin mix in the same water? and how simple would it be to start up on ff and what r the pros and cons i would need feed for a breeding flock chicks and juvies

 

[fluffyfeathers]

I offered my FF for the first time. My LF devoured it, but my silkies not at all. Some ate a little bit, but the majority did not even look at it. I was very disappointed. 

I sprinkled dry food on top at first. So they dug right in. The next time they ate it no problem.

 

[moomoodiddy]

ive always heard that silkies love ff

 

[countrygirl74]

can i mix acv and a vitamin mix in the same water? and how simple would it be to start up on ff and what r the pros and cons i would need feed for a breeding flock chicks and juvies

When my chicks were little I did poly-vi-sol drops and acv in the water at the same time... I have never used the vitamin mixes made specifically for chicks so maybe someone else can chime in on that. As for ff, all my silkies eat it just fine along with the rest of my flock. I find it very simple but I have under 20 so I don't know how difficult it might be for a larger flock. I use one 5 gallon bucket.

 

[ceocka]

HELP!!
i posted last week about a 10 wk old chick with eye issues... They were swollen and sealing shut.. I've given antibiotics along with flushing it's eyes with saline for a week and a half and still no improvement :/ it is also half the size of its siblings.. I don't know what else to do.. It is separated from the others, eating/drinking normal and still has its vision.. 

It does contain vitamin A, but it says it's fine for daily use :/ I guess I can stop them and see what happens. I still don't know what is going on with its eyes, I'm going to stop the antibiotics tomorrow also, as it's been almost 2 weeks. I feel awful that I can't help it, and I'm running out of ideas thanks for the advice though ! anything helps! 

Try vetercyn! It is amazing stuff!

 

[Debstar1204]

Hi, I'm new to owing Silkies and I have a few questions. Okay while watching my gorgeous girls I noticed 2 of the 3 silkies have their entire head and under chin Fluffy. While one only has the fluff right on top of her head. I can clearly see her lovely blue ear lops, eyes & beak. Is she a non bearded silkie? If so is this the only difference between them?

Also I have only had my girls for 2 days and they all have some wing feathers that look really ratty or separated.. If I was to wash them what do I use? I was also told they are all roughly 12 weeks old. Will they change much with maturity in colour & size or would they be old enough now to be as they will ?

Also, I have read Silkies need different diet to what I'm used to feeding chooks, could someone tell me what is the best diet to feed them. They are currently on 1/4 scratch ( left over from other stock) mixed with 3/4 starter crumble. I have also noticed the scraps aren't eaten as quickly by the silkies as my last flock whom where large breed hens. I'm sure I will have many more questions as time goes on...

Thank you in advanced Debbie