Silkie thread!

[JenS9]

You don't HAVE to, but it's good for them. Especially the 5th toe, that nail never touches the ground so the nail grows very long and can eventually curl back into their foot if left too long. Also I find my silkies beaks grow pretty long.

Yes just like dogs they need there nails trimmed and sometimes you have to trim an long beak. But if you are showing it's a nice clean look

Thanks! Any suggestions on clippers? Or do dog/cat nail clippers work? Also, a beak file suggestion would be awesome, too!

 

[RockerHen]

My silkie dogloo is housing quite the variety with all the mothers with their foster chicks now! The three turkey poults who hang with the rooster sleep next to him, there are 4 olive egger chicks and 4 marans cross chicks sleeping under their mamas and any broody who will let them, They're a month and a half old so that is interesting

I have 18 young leghorns that spend most of their time in the silkie pen, they much prefer the company of the docile silkies than the sometimes hostile layer flock. I'm growing them out to replace my 3 year old wyandotte flock, so they won't have to fear for long. My turkey hen finally hatched out some of her own chicks, 12 of them actually, after having to watch the silkies raise some for a month

She is the most spastic, worried mother I have ever seen! If the poults get farther than a few feet away, she goes into this nervous squealing and yelping spell and runs back and forth. Hands down the most protective mother I have ever seen though. She is an absolute terror to our cats and our poor dogs when they happen to stray too close. She even fanned and hissed at me today because I wore a floppy sun hat and she didn't recognize me!

 

[Jharper]

My silkie dogloo is housing quite the variety with all the mothers with their foster chicks now! The three turkey poults who hang with the rooster sleep next to him, there are 4 olive egger chicks and 4 marans cross chicks sleeping under their mamas and any broody who will let them, They're a month and a half old so that is interesting

I have 18 young leghorns that spend most of their time in the silkie pen, they much prefer the company of the docile silkies than the sometimes hostile layer flock. I'm growing them out to replace my 3 year old wyandotte flock, so they won't have to fear for long. My turkey hen finally hatched out some of her own chicks, 12 of them actually, after having to watch the silkies raise some for a month

She is the most spastic, worried mother I have ever seen! If the poults get farther than a few feet away, she goes into this nervous squealing and yelping spell and runs back and forth. Hands down the most protective mother I have ever seen though. She is an absolute terror to our cats and our poor dogs when they happen to stray too close. She even fanned and hissed at me today because I wore a floppy sun hat and she didn't recognize me!

Did you ever find your missing silkie hen?

 

[sillycmoy]

My silkie dogloo is housing quite the variety with all the mothers with their foster chicks now! The three turkey poults who hang with the rooster sleep next to him, there are 4 olive egger chicks and 4 marans cross chicks sleeping under their mamas and any broody who will let them, They're a month and a half old so that is interesting

I have 18 young leghorns that spend most of their time in the silkie pen, they much prefer the company of the docile silkies than the sometimes hostile layer flock. I'm growing them out to replace my 3 year old wyandotte flock, so they won't have to fear for long. My turkey hen finally hatched out some of her own chicks, 12 of them actually, after having to watch the silkies raise some for a month

She is the most spastic, worried mother I have ever seen! If the poults get farther than a few feet away, she goes into this nervous squealing and yelping spell and runs back and forth. Hands down the most protective mother I have ever seen though. She is an absolute terror to our cats and our poor dogs when they happen to stray too close. She even fanned and hissed at me today because I wore a floppy sun hat and she didn't recognize me!

That is so cute.

 

[RockerHen]

Did you ever find your missing silkie hen?

No I've cried for that hen, I miss her so much.I'm convinced a hawk took her, I don't think she went broody somewhere. I wanted to show her this fall. I didn't even get any chicks off of her . I have two young ones growing up from her sister, however, that are showing signs of looking just like her and are as fond of handling as she was. I have lots and lots of pictures to remember her by, though

 

[SilkieBaby81]

No

I've cried for that hen, I miss her so much.I'm convinced a hawk took her, I don't think she went broody somewhere. I wanted to show her this fall. I didn't even get any chicks off of her

. I have two young ones growing up from her sister, however, that are showing signs of looking just like her and are as fond of handling as she was. I have lots and lots of pictures to remember her by, though

Aww so sorry to hear

 

[DebraM]

Be
Beautiful babies!

Aren't they just bewdiful!!!

 

[DebraM]

That is so cute.  

After a childhood "incident" that has left me terrified of turkeys, I have to say this story has endeared them to my heart again!! Not enough to get my own, but enough to say they are a great bird for others to keep!!! Lol. Gorgeous story.

 

[aoxa]

Some guy backed out on silkies from Jamie, so he is selling me four more (3 hens and a cock). All whites. Two of them are dyed, but I'm fine with that. I am not looking to show them this year anyway. I just want to build up my breeding flock. Only have a trio of whites, and a pair of blues so it is slow going!



Here are some of the chicks. They are 2 weeks now. Growing strong!

 

[aoxa]

Here is what I "think" happened, let me know what you think of my theory. All 3 chicks came from my pullet (splash) as all eggs from my hen have been infertile, she refuses roosters. The big white and the little white one have the black dad (came from same breeder as the splash pullet, I suspect potential inbreeding)... and the darker colored chick must have the splash rooster.... can that be? the darker chick has white on its head in a couple of places and under its belly. but I'm probably wrong bc really I dont' know much about this yet, I'm learning. But it is a completely different color and the other chick that hatched out who died, was also the whitish color.

Do you think that the lack of pigment in the white chicks are from inbreeding? and that is why the darker one is black like it should, because it has a different dad?

Try to put the chicks on a no-slip surface. They are so susceptible to splay leg at this age if they have nothing to grip to.

Also, the white pigment means that one of their parents carries a copy of "not fibromelonsis" according to Sonoran

Well, either there was a spontanous mutation, or mama & papa are each carrying a hidden copy of not-fibromelonosis (aka not-black skin). Some really cute photos on your link