Silkie thread!

[subhanalah]

Ugh, I think my paint is a rooster.
The two silkies and the Brahman are brooding these babies from me, even though the brahma is also a rooster.

 

[Sylvester017]

my two chicks are 7 days old..can i take them from their mom for like half an hour during the day. I want to hold them for a few minutes

If the momma doesn't mind it should be ok - are you on good terms with her? Our hens are so comfortable with us we can handle them, collect their eggs from under them, etc.

We handled our feed store Dominique hatchery chick when we bought her at 8 days old and it was a quick bond on the ride home since she never had a broody momma in her life. She was the last of 3 different chicks and we wanted 2 Doms but she was the only Dom left at end of season. Unfortunately after 19 days old she died of a sudden seizure. It happens with chicks. We lost an Ameraucana chick 4 weeks earlier yet her sister grew up fine. Just never know why.

 

[roostercantrell]

how old do juvies need to be before they can be left loose in the run during the day with the adults. my juvies are about 6-7 weeks it is supposed the be quite warm this week

 

[Dawnrenae]

Help?
How do I bathe a silkie?

My guy, Cousin It, his butt is matted and dirty... We have only had him a month, and he has been pretty clean until we had a storm last week.

Ideas?

 

[bantambury]

Help?
How do I bathe a silkie?

My guy, Cousin It, his butt is matted and dirty... We have only had him a month, and he has been pretty clean until we had a storm last week.

Ideas?

I would just let it be. there has been days when there is poo all crusted in my silkies poof and in a week its gone. washing it I don't think would do any good, but you could always try trimming it off or brushing through it....that's what I used to do with my long hair bunny.

 

[Sylvester017]

how old do juvies need to be before they can be left loose in the run during the day with the adults. my juvies are about 6-7 weeks it is supposed the be quite warm this week

The best age is 4-5 months old before putting juveniles in with adults. And before that they have to be separated by a fence where they see each other but don't co-mingle for about a month with each other before removing the fence barrier. Even then there will be a pecking order they'll establish amongst themselves possibly with some pecking or squabbling. We allowed our 4 month old juvies time on one side of a fence to let the older hens get used to the newbies. Then at 5 months they were put together on the main flock side. It's less stressful for all birds involved not to have to fight so much for territory because they are somewhat acclimated with each other. Never put smaller/younger birds with older/bigger birds. At 5 months the Silkies are big enough to be on equal size status with the adult Silkies. Just MHO.

 

[Iluvmysilkies]

My new silkie babies! 3 blacks, and 2 blues/possible splash? And 3 have the big vaults I love And just look at those cheeks! Thanks again Cynthia, they are beautiful! LOVE

 

[Sylvester017]

Help?
How do I bathe a silkie?

My guy, Cousin It, his butt is matted and dirty... We have only had him a month, and he has been pretty clean until we had a storm last week.

Ideas?

I had a Silkie in diapers in-house for almost 3 months. She got used to nightly removal of the diaper and the warm butt washes in the bathroom sink and the blow-drying afterwards. Silkies, chickens in general, don't seem to mind warm water washes or hairdryers or blowing heaters or fans. We used baby shampoo for the butt washes which was much better for loosening gunk. We never washed farther up than her butt. After her shampoo and warm blow dry we put her in the in-house kennel with a nestbox to sleep for the night.

 

[roostercantrell]

The best age is 4-5 months old before putting juveniles in with adults. And before that they have to be separated by a fence where they see each other but don't co-mingle for about a month with each other before removing the fence barrier. Even then there will be a pecking order they'll establish amongst themselves possibly with some pecking or squabbling. We allowed our 4 month old juvies time on one side of a fence to let the older hens get used to the newbies. Then at 5 months they were put together on the main flock side. It's less stressful for all birds involved not to have to fight so much for territory because they are somewhat acclimated with each other. Never put smaller/younger birds with older/bigger birds. At 5 months the Silkies are big enough to be on equal size status with the adult Silkies. Just MHO.

ok i have a transport cage that i keep them in the bigger chickens seem to be ingoring them for the most part i have been giving them all some outdoor time today it was pretty warm here today.. so i need to keep them in the cage seperating them for 2-3 more months

 

[Sylvester017]

ok i have a transport cage that i keep them in the bigger chickens seem to be ingoring them for the most part i have been giving them all some outdoor time today it was pretty warm here today.. so i need to keep them in the cage seperating them for 2-3 more months

If you are keeping them in a cage I hope it is very roomy - at LEAST 4x4. That's what my friend used. She kept the chicks and momma in the 4x4 roofed dog kennel in the adult run (roof to keep jumping adults from pooping on the chicks below) - momma and 5 chicks in the kennel and a small log branch to use as a perch, a covered storage box or litter box for a nest, and of course water and food. It got crowded after a month so 3 cockerels were given away and left momma with 2 pullet chicks. Momma didn't need to be with the chicks any more and was released into the big pen. The 2 chicks stayed in the kennel cage until they were 4-1/2 months old and nearly full sized before their kennel door was opened to go in and out as they needed to mingle with the adults. There was the usual pecking order chasing but no serious fights or injuries as the juvies had learned during their cage time to be respectful of the adults. It's good for the juvies and adults to be equal in size otherwise smaller/younger birds get throttled.