Silkie thread!

[NewToFarming]

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Your hen sounds wonderful! It doesn't take long to catch silkie-itis does it? LOL I agree, my silkie lay great also, when they aren't broody! :rolleyesLOL

 

[Aria]

Enjoyed reading your story. We just got our Silkies this September as a gift. What a gift.
We LOVE them. Ours lay from 6 to 9 eggs daily. We let 4 eggs stay under one chicken.
On April 7 4 Silkies Hatched. They are wonderful sitters....and ALL YOU MENTIONED. Aria

 

[HatchingFever]

Hey do these silkies look good there entered in the del mar fair so how do you think they will place

 

[Debbi]

Thanks all, I am excited! I'm hearing now from other breed folk, that Silkies have a low fertility rate? Due to the vent feathering? True, false, or depends? Love seeing all the cute chick pics!

 

[torrelee]

New babies, Itty and Bitty for now. Darn they're noisy!!

 

[Teresaann24]

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I think it depends...I'v never had the problem but I know some people who had had roosters not fertilizing their hen's quick trim around the vent area and lots of fertile eggs

 

[Debbi]

Thanks Teresaann24 !

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Have a new mystery if anyone can help...

I've been having this problem over and over again with my hen...Her beard grows out big and beautiful and then begins to get yellow, dingy, and weak. The last time this happened, it was concluded that it may be the minerals in the water sticking to her beard and causing the dying of the feathers. They finally grew back a few weeks ago and she was looking awesome...and yes, she has been dunking her beard again, but not for very long, only the last week or so. Today I noticed that her feathers were losing their black luciousness and seemed a little dry...think dry human-hair dry... When I ran my fingers through them, they felt slightly 'sticky'. I toyed around with the pop-bottle waterer (that is no longer doing it's job, lol) so now, if she managed to get her beard wet, I'd have to get her IQ tested. (

work) I washed her beard gently with baby shampoo and water, then blow-dried. I also put a little VetRX on to give her some shine back...

I see her digging through the LIGHTLY sevin-dust coated shavings, but so are the other birds, and they're okay, so it can't be that that is causing the dryness...I know the others dip their beards in the water also...and the feathers dry normally with them...Is there something that's supposed to be protecting those feathers but isn't? What's the deal?!

 

[Debbi]

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Are you adding viatmins to the water? I guess it must be as hot up there as it's been here. I was watching everyone drink today, (Marans), and noticed that some were almost imergeing their whole heads! Have you tried a bucket waterer with the nipples out the side? They just catch the drips instead of wearing the water. Although today, and the last week or so, I'm glad mine feel like taking a dip!

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Quote:
Are you adding viatmins to the water? I guess it must be as hot up there as it's been here. I was watching everyone drink today, (Marans), and noticed that some were almost imergeing their whole heads! Have you tried a bucket waterer with the nipples out the side? They just catch the drips instead of wearing the water. Although today, and the last week or so, I'm glad mine feel like taking a dip!

The problem here is that all of my Silkies get the same treatment...she must be quite a special one, because I've never seen or heard of this before.

I never add vitamins to the water...(This going to sound bad, but I will say it...I don't usually have the patience...) I love my birds to death but I've never done the vitamin thing before-I would just forget. Would it even protect the feathers? Gosh, I wish she would just learn to drink with her mouth!

The sad part is that she tends to do this 'year round if given the opportunity. I remember last winter there were times where I had to blow-dry icicles off of her face. I'm getting sick of changing waterers and trial and error...I wish I just knew what was going on for sure!