Silkie thread!

[drumstick diva]

Chicknmamma You say you have low grade hatchery chickens - those usually have poor crests and are not bearded. I mention this because if they are this way, that is why they are able to roost up higher, etc. Big crests and beards obscure vision - . If feathers are cut away from the eyes - silkies can see much better and are more athletic.

 

[NookNook01]

What do you guys use for sand in your pens? I'm thinking of adding sand to one of my pens, maybe two, if it's not an expensive project.
Is there a type of sand I should NOT use for chickens?

I've read people use what's called Tube Sand....it's usually used to weigh down the back of pickup trucks in the winter for traction or for water barriers, I don't really know. Guess it comes in a long tube bag type of thing at the big box type stores. Hope this helps......

 

[ESofVA]

I had wondered what a "vaulted skull" was! Never took the time to look it up. I have had one chick with wry neck from some of the older chicks pecking it on the head. I was devastated because it of course ws my favorite...always seems that is the way it goes! My Silkies will go up a ramp that is longer thus making the incline less. They will not go up a welded wire ramp but some of my other breeds with feathered feet won't either. They do not sleep on a perch, preferring to pile up in the nest boxes....as many as 3 or 4 in one box!!!
I would not worry about them getting injured, yes they seem to "bounce"well, LOL! They are worth it. Some of my Silkies have been hatched with other breeds of chicks and all of the ones that have been together since they were young tend to roam together as a mixed breed little group. I currently have 2 crossbred chicks and 1 Silkie that are the same age and it is funny to watch the ones run around in their little groups...I have 3 groups of chicks that run around together. These free range during the day and go up at night. Their coop right now is a large dog crate that I cover with a tarp. It is placed outside of my large pen where I keep my chickens that tear up our garden and flower beds throwing the mulch out all over the yard and eating the leaves off of everything including my shrubs.

 

[ESofVA]

OH...I can't keep our chickens away from sand. Our soil is mostly sand as we live very close to the shore...so our sand is silica and I would assume more like beach sand. It doesn't seem to affect them at all.

 

[Sanna]

wow! That chick is beautiful! What kind is she/he?

I don't know exactly what she is. She did hatch from a green egg, I know that much. And dad is a New Hampshire Red. Mom is one of our mixed breeds from our "Golden Girls" pen. We have 3 RIR's in there with a bunch of buffs and some white Marans looking mixes. But one of the white Marans lays green eggs, and only one has feathers on it's legs.

I'm pretty sure the egg my chick hatched from belongs to the white hen. So I'll just call little Spot an Easter Egger.

Don't use playsand, you want a nice coarse sand. If you live near a river and can get river sand that would be awesome and FREE, but you can order sand from a landfill or buy bags of it. Your supposed to use non-silica sand but I have had no luck finding it so I use all-purpose or tube sand.

No rivers near by, at least not close enough to go get some sand.

Maybe we have a big pile of sand somewhere out back. I know we have gravel and wood chips etc. I'll have to go sand hunting!

Oooh! Count me in!

Will do!

I've read people use what's called Tube Sand....it's usually used to weigh down the back of pickup trucks in the winter for traction or for water barriers, I don't really know. Guess it comes in a long tube bag type of thing at the big box type stores. Hope this helps......

I did a little bit of reading on the tube sand. Seems like the bags you can find at a hardware store aren't very big. I'd have to buy a gazillion of them.

I'll keep searching, there must be some affordable sand around here somewhere.

Thanks!

 

[jmanderson777]

My daughter loving on a self blue.

And her haul of silkies.

 

[Sanna]

My daughter loving on a self blue.

And her haul of silkies.

Very cute picture! Your daughter looks thrilled with her chickens!

The chick looks a little dark to be a self-blue, btw. Looks like a blue.

 

[blipit007]

You will have to just watch her with the other larger birds, but she should be fine =) Yes your psyching yourself out haha! They CAN learn to use a ramp, I would get 2, personally, because "birds of a feather stick together" lol Silkies pile on the ground, they can't fly so they usually can't perch. If you live somewhere it will get cold you will definitely want a couple more (won't be long anyway after you get her

they are addicting!) Yes they do have a "soft spot", just like a chihuahua or a baby. The vaulted skull babies are even more prone to head injuries, but you can usually treat them at home easily if something happens. Silkies are awesome birds, don't miss out!

I have a question. Marbles is about 10 weeks right now. Her feathers have not grown in fully so she has great vision. She has a step stool to get up on the 18" perch and does it without a problem. Also there is no ramp into the coop. It is about a foot off the ground, maybe 10". She just hops right up. Is this going to change if her poof grows in big and fluffy? Also, she was squeezing into the one nest box that all 6 of them cram themselves into each night, usually on the bottom. But the last few nights she was just outside of the nest box on the perch (as close as she can get to the girls, still touching them) Is this because she smartened up and realized she doesn't like being squished? I really don't know how they are all getting in there and why they would want to! When I check on them at night, they are all panting!
So my ? is, is Marbles eventually going to be stuck alone on the floor when she grows up?

I did a little bit of reading on the tube sand. Seems like the bags you can find at a hardware store aren't very big. I'd have to buy a gazillion of them.

I'll keep searching, there must be some affordable sand around here somewhere.

Thanks!

I filled the bottom of my coop with just four bags. They were 50lb bags at $5. If your filling the pens, you may need more. What about the CT river? You are close to that. If you can find a strong person to help you fill a tupperware bin maybe.

 

[K Epp]

Looks like my white crested blue polish. You will have a beautiful bird. Mine are just as sweet as my silkies.

Correct...unless someone has been breeding it in, and I haven't heard of that happening...of course I am usually the last to know anything

The chick looks splash to me

 

[Fur N Feathers]

I think this is a fairly decent side by side photo standing at their wading pool which they sometimes drink from. Pet quality girl who was a rescue (she and two other girls I have were actually rescued from a flood). She has some really great qualities and is a wonderful chicken and is so sweet. My paint girl (CatDance) that I will be showing this fall, also a really great chicken with great qualities. I did a test run on her eggs that she just started laying and I am pleased to report are looking really good (at least I think).



The first born baby of the paint girl at 2 days old:




And here is the other girl doing what she loves best - being a Mommy!