Silkie thread!

[howfunkyisurchicken]

kabhyper1- I had a chick hatch out like yours at the beginning of summer. It was hatched out by a broody Silkie.
Its legs were sticking out in front of it and it was flapping its little wings and scooting around under momma, just like you describe.
I was quite concerned when I found it, but I just stuck it back under the hen and crossed my fingers. It stayed like that for 3 days, and when I caught the hen and chicks outside, everyone was scratching and running so I assumed it had passed or was stuck in the coop. Nope, it was outside walking, running and jumping normally with everyone else.
Your chick may need a cup or hobbles, but I would give it a chance to gain some strength on its own. Good luck, I hope Chance gets better. S/he sure is a cutie!

 

[kabhyper1]

Thank you ! I hobbled him and came out to the barn to check and he had taken a few steps. He is back on his butt now. I dipped his beak in water and gave him poly vi sol but he doesn't eat. im. just concerned about him starving. I hope he pops out of it.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Should I re-home one of the roosters, and if so will the other rooster settle down?

I think the odds are that if you rehome one of the roosters, it will end up on someone's dinner plate. That isn't a bad thing, but sort of the reality of what happens to all those "roosters, free to good home." I bought a lot of straight-run Silkies, and have slaughtered four of five cockerels. I need to re-grow the backbone to slaughter this last Silkie cockerel. When I had a lot of cockerels with the same-age pullets, they started being horrible little things harassing the pullets and each other. I separated all the cockerels from the pullets and housed them in a separate pen. Everything settled down as soon as they were separated from the pullets. The cockerels sorted out their pecking order very quickly. The two bantam cockerels I have left (a frizzle Cochin and a hatchery Silkie) are quite peaceful together, which is why I haven't slaughtered the Silkie cockerel. I intend to keep the Cochin for no reason than he is the most ridiculous looking thing (he's a double copy frizzle) and intended to put him back with the pullets when I slaughtered the Silkie which I've been putting it off.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote:

Should I re-home one of the roosters, and if so will the other rooster settle down?

I think the odds are that if you rehome one of the roosters, it will end up on someone's dinner plate. That isn't a bad thing, but sort of the reality of what happens to all those "roosters, free to good home." I bought a lot of straight-run Silkies, and have slaughtered four of five cockerels. I need to re-grow the backbone to slaughter this last Silkie cockerel. When I had a lot of cockerels with the same-age pullets, they started being horrible little things harassing the pullets and each other. I separated all the cockerels from the pullets and housed them in a separate pen. Everything settled down as soon as they were separated from the pullets. The cockerels sorted out their pecking order very quickly. The two bantam cockerels I have left (a frizzle Cochin and a hatchery Silkie) are quite peaceful together, which is why I haven't slaughtered the Silkie cockerel. I intend to keep the Cochin for no reason than he is the most ridiculous looking thing (he's a double copy frizzle) and intended to put him back with the pullets when I slaughtered the Silkie which I've been putting it off.

Ah, you have a Frazzle Cochin and are going for Sizzles?

Did u eat the silkie boys.. and what did they really taste like?

I have 3 Silkie roosters right now in one pen - but one is the head roo and he doesn't stand for nonsense. When I had only juvies they would hassle each other and the girls with nobody to keep them in line. Perhaps separating the two boys until they have "growed up" a bit will help - then once they figure out their order and they are more mature put them all back together?

Thank you ! I hobbled him and came out to the barn to check and he had taken a few steps. He is back on his butt now. I dipped his beak in water and gave him poly vi sol but he doesn't eat. im. just concerned about him starving. I hope he pops out of it.

They can live for 3 days on what they absorbed from the yolk with no food and water. Please give him a few more days to get his land legs before you start worrying about him....

 

[TeddyBearSilkie]

Thanks ChickNmamma for all the info. I truly appreciate it. I had hoped that they would have sorted out the pecking order by now since I clearly have one rooster that is more dominant than the other, but it appears as though the slightly smaller one is coming into his own and challenging the alpha chicken. I'll keep an eye on them, and as long as there is no blood I'll let them sort it out. Although admittedly, it is hard to watch when I see my chickens pecking at each other. I have seen the roosters make some cute noises when they find something good, but the females tend not to come over. At least not that I've seen so far. I have also seen them peck and/or push the females away to get to the food first. I'll have to spend more time observing them when I give them treats and see if their behavior changes. It's funny that you mentioned the older hen trick because I've been searching for one. I've seen a couple of nice ones but none yet that are in a budget friendly price range. I think I may wait until the Spring and get some more chicks instead. They seem somewhat easier to find.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Thanks ChickNmamma for all the info. I truly appreciate it. I had hoped that they would have sorted out the pecking order by now since I clearly have one rooster that is more dominant than the other, but it appears as though the slightly smaller one is coming into his own and challenging the alpha chicken. I'll keep an eye on them, and as long as there is no blood I'll let them sort it out. Although admittedly, it is hard to watch when I see my chickens pecking at each other. I have seen the roosters make some cute noises when they find something good, but the females tend not to come over. At least not that I've seen so far. I have also seen them peck and/or push the females away to get to the food first. I'll have to spend more time observing them when I give them treats and see if their behavior changes. It's funny that you mentioned the older hen trick because I've been searching for one. I've seen a couple of nice ones but none yet that are in a budget friendly price range. I think I may wait until the Spring and get some more chicks instead. They seem somewhat easier to find.

Yeah, it sounds like they are mid-way between little piggy chicks (my food) and growing up (come get the goodies I found)... As long as there isn't any bloodshed and nobody gets hurt I would let them work it out. It doesn't have to be a Silkie hen just any bantam hen will work. If you get one from elsewhere observe the quarantine though - you don't want to bring anything in to your flock - be very careful with outside birds.

 

[TeddyBearSilkie]

That is very true jajeanpierre. I've seen plenty of free rooster listings on Craigslist and as much as I would like to think that if I gave my rooster away it would go to live on a happy farm with all the females he could possibly would want, I am sure that wouldn't happen. My intent is to keep both if I can as long as one is getting hurt and assuming that my neighbors don't seem to mind. I've been keeping them in until 8:30 on the weekdays and 9 on the weekends. I'd like to think that that muffles the crowing just a tad. You must be one tough cookie if you can slaughter a chicken. I'm not sure if I could do that. I looked into it before getting chickens, but I'm still not sure I could do it. I have got to get me a sizzle or a chicken with a frizzle gene. A double frizzle?! Those must be adorable! Hopefully you can keep him too.

 

[kabhyper1]

So Should I take the hobbles off of him then? We are going to be gone all day tomorrow so I won't be able to check on him. My mother in law is going to come check on them for us.

Ah, you have a Frazzle Cochin and are going for Sizzles?
Did u eat the silkie boys.. and what did they really taste like?

I have 3 Silkie roosters right now in one pen - but one is the head roo and he doesn't stand for nonsense.  When I had only juvies they would hassle each other and the girls with nobody to keep them in line.  Perhaps separating the two boys until they have "growed up" a bit will help - then once they figure out their order and they are more mature put them all back together?

 

They can live for 3 days on what they absorbed from the yolk with no food and water.  Please give him a few more days to get his land legs before you start worrying about him....

 

[TeddyBearSilkie]

Thanks again ChickNmamma. I have my fingers crossed that they will work it out soon. I hate hearing them squabble and think that one of them is being attacked by a predator. I can only have so many chicken induced hearts attacks hehe.

I've been toying with adding a different bantam sized breed of chicken into the mix, but I'm not quite ready to make the plunge. I've read that bantam cochins do well with silkies. I think I also like the bantam faverolles too. I need to do a lot more research though. Thanks for the quarantine warning. I've been reading lots of threads on that and hearing about different peoples' experiences. I believe the woman I got my silkies from lost her whole flock due to an outside virus being introduced from someone. I have the potential to setup a quarantine area, however it would be located near the current coop and run. I read that someone still lost their birds because the quarantine was too close. Until I'm able to setup a proper quarantine area away from my flock, I will have to wait if I want to add any adult birds.

 

[sheeshshe]

Looks like I'm going to extend my chicken coop tomorrow! I have enough pallets and wood to do it! I just need to figure out how I'm going to cut the back end off the coop. hmm... especially without disturbing my hen brooding babies!