Silkie thread!

[Sylvester017]

Sorry I accidentally posted twice

Don't apologize -- I've been having the same problem seeing my posts doubled. I've been on BYC a long time and know how to do it right but sometimes there's a glitch not entirely our fault. I've been finding that if an unread post suddenly shows at the bottom of my 'puter screen (in a black bar) as I'm typing a post, my post will automatically post without me hitting the "submit" button. After I finish typing and hit the "submit" blue button the screen prompts me that I already submitted ????? That's 'puter programs for you!

 

[robyn8]

Maybe I should leave well enough alone. Everyone along well right now. We'll see what happens in the spring as they get older I guess.

 

[Sylvester017]

I have four 11 week old chickens 3 are bantam Cochin/ silkie mixes, one a sebright/ bantam Cochin mix and one silkie. 2 pullets and 2 cockerels. I really should only keep one cockerel since we live in a neighborhood but Im having a hard time deciding to rehome him. I'm for sure going to get another pullet, probably a silkie so mine has a friend. I'd like to keep my four and add a 5th just not sure if I have the space in my coop. My coop is pretty tiny only 40"x 40" but they all sleep huddled together in a corner or one of the 3 nesting boxes. The run is 3.5'x12' and then we fenced in a 21'x18' area that I let them roam in for a few hours a day when I'm home. Do you think since they are all small breeds 5 will to too many in the small coop? Advice please!

Chickens will spend most of their day in the run or foraging in a backyard. Chickens only use a coop to lay eggs or roost for the night. Good ventilation (not drafty) is important for the amount of chickens in an enclosed space -- it's been recommended one square foot of open ventilation per bird sleeping inside a coop. I personally also want 4-sq-ft floor space per each bird inside a coop as well. Chickens are sensitive to respiratory issues so ammonia odor inside an enclosed coop is bad. We have 4 hens, a 4x4 coop and only 2 square feet of open venting, the 2 windows are display only and don't open, so we ordered a dog kennel wire floor for more ventilation for our hot summer months. In winter we put in a solid floor tray and keep the pop door open a little for added air but no drafts. Our coop manufacturer recommended up to 16 birds fit in our 4x4 Barn Coop but that's ridiculous since each bird needs a minimum 4-square-ft floor space bantam OR large fowl alike. Maybe 16 birds can crowd into our coop but that doesn't mean it will be healthy for them! Manufacturers just want to sell their products and over-state how many birds can be housed. I have personally deduced that the number of nestboxes that come with a coop is the only number of chickens that can be comfortably housed in that model. It's not that each hen needs their own nestbox, it's just my calculation of determining how many chickens will be comfortable inside a manufacturers pre-fabricated coop -- 4 nestboxes = 4 hens, 2 nestboxes = 2 hens, 6 nestboxes = 6 hens. Crowding too many chickens in a small space is a formula for health problems, parasites, and peckish chickens.


THERE ARE ONLY 2 OF THESE OPEN VENTS AT THE TOP WALLS OF OUR 4x4 COOP - NOT ENOUGH VENTING FOR 4 HENS


WE USE DOG KENNEL WIRE FLOORING DURING HOT SUMMERS


IN WINTER WE PUT THE SOLID FLOOR TRAY BACK IN THE COOP AND KEEP THE POP-DOOR PARTIALLY OPEN FOR MORE VENTILATION IF THERE'S NO WIND OR RAIN. WE CAN KEEP OUR POP-DOOR OPEN BECAUSE THE ENTIRE COOP IS LOCKED IN AN ENCLOSED/ROOFED DOG KENNEL WIRE RUN.

 

[Nanas Silkies]

i need help my chick is rolled up in a ball shaking and freaking out she was fine this morning, i came in and found her curled up i picked her up and lifted her head and placed her back and she put it back and started to freak out i think she had a seizer but idk if she also hurt her neck she is about a week and half to less than a week. she has had about 7 of then that i have seen. could anyone tellme what to do or if any of yall had the same issue i have a video but it wont let me post it. thank you guys hope to hear from yall soon please.

 

[Sylvester017]

i need help my chick is rolled up in a ball shaking and freaking out she was fine this morning, i came in and found her curled up i picked her up and lifted her head and placed her back and she put it back and started to freak out i think she had a seizer but idk if she also hurt her neck she is about a week and half to less than a week. she has had about 7 of then that i have seen. could anyone tellme what to do or if any of yall had the same issue i have a video but it wont let me post it. thank you guys hope to hear from yall soon please.

From all I've read and researched it sounds like star-gazing - a common vitamin deficiency that should be "cured" with the right vitamin treatment. Hope someone else chimes in with help for you or else search the BYC Emergencies, treatments, chick ailments, etc, sections in the BYC Search toolbar.

 

[Nanas Silkies]

From all I've read and researched it sounds like star-gazing - a common vitamin deficiency that should be "cured" with the right vitamin treatment.  Hope someone else chimes in with help for you or else search the BYC Emergencies, treatments, chick ailments, etc, sections in the BYC Search toolbar.

Okay because she is still eating and drinking just rolling over curling up an freaking out I gave them some Terra vet 10 in idk if that will help

 

[Nanas Silkies]

Okay guys I think I found what she has wry neck she seems to look at me sideways, always has her head down and when she drinks she can't seem to go up with her head unless I help her. She can move her head to the side to clean her wing, but her neck looks like it got a kink She can eat, drink, hop around and flap around with the other chicks idk if it's early and I can fix it? Here are some pictures sorry if they are a blur!

 

[joydix]

I would right away get an infant multivitamin (liquid) WITHOUT IRON and give her a bit on the end of the dropper a couple times a day. i think a lot of things baby chicks get can be fixed with the vitamins. the sooner you catch it the better. is it smaller than the others? have you googled neck issues with baby chicks? that might tell you something. i hope it will be ok.....the vitamins are usually in the baby section at a pharmacy.

 

[Nanas Silkies]

I would right away get an infant multivitamin (liquid) WITHOUT IRON and give her a bit on the end of the dropper a couple times a day. i think a lot of things baby chicks get can be fixed with the vitamins. the sooner you catch it the better. is it smaller than the others? have you googled neck issues with baby chicks? that might tell you something. i hope it will be ok.....the vitamins are usually in the baby section at a pharmacy.

Okay thank you and no she is about the same size as the Choco\black chick but a little smaller then the white chick.

 

[joydix]

i found this on our local chicken chat grp; it lists what certain vitamin def. can cause. b12 is one that looks likely...the infant vitamins have it all:

Nutritional Deficiencies:​

Depending on the degree of malnutrition, either death or physical symptoms will occur. Please refer to the below:
Nutrient

Deficiency Signs:
Vitamin A

Death at about 48 hours of incubation from failure to develop the circulatory system; abnormalities of kidneys, eyes and skeleton
Vitamin D

Death at about 18 or 19 days of incubation, with malpositions, soft bones, and with a defective upper beak prominent. Please click on this link for info.
Vitamin E

Early death at about 84 to 96 hours of incubation, with hemorrhaging and circulatory failure (implicated with selenium).
Thiamin

High embryonic mortality during emergence but no obvious symptoms other than polyneuritis in those that survive.
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Mortality peaks at 60 hours, 14 days, and 20 days of incubation, with peaks prominent early as deficiency becomes severe. Altered limb and beak development, dwarfism and clubbing of down are defects expressed by embryo.
Niacin

Embryo readily synthesizes sufficient niacin from tryptophan. Various bone and beak malformations occur when certain antagonists are administered during incubation.
Biotin

High death rate at 19 days to 21 days of incubation, parrot beak, chondrodystrophy, several skeletal deformities and webbing between the toes. Perosis.
Pantothenic acid

Deaths appear around 14 days of incubation, although marginal levels may delay problems until emergence. Variable subcutaneous hemorrhaging and edema; wirey down in poults.
Pyridoxine

Early embryonic mortality based on antivitamin use.
Folic acid

Mortality at about 20 days of incubation. The dead generally appear normal, but many have bent tibiotarsus (long leg bone), syndactyly (fused toes) and beak malformations. In poults, mortality at 26 days to 28 days of incubation with abnormalities of extremities and circulatory system.
Vitamin B12

Mortality at about 20 days of incubation, with atrophy of legs, edema, hemorrhaging, fatty organs, and head between thighs malposition.
Manganese

Deaths peak prior to emergence. Chondrodystrophy, dwarfism, long bone shortening, head malformations, edema, and abnormal feathering are prominent. Perosis.
Zinc

Deaths prior to emergence, and the appearance of rumplessness, depletion of vertebral column, eyes underdeveloped and limbs missing.
Iodine

Prolongation of hatching time, reduced thyroid size, and incomplete abdominal closure.
Iron

Low hematocrit; low blood hemoglobin; poor extra-embryonic circulation in candled eggs.
Source / Reference: http://gallus.tamu.edu/Extension publications/b6092.pdf