Silkie thread!

[aoxa]

[COLOR=DAA520]I'm not seeing my reply to you two so I'm going to try again (will probably forget something)[/COLOR]

[COLOR=DAA520]Thank you Flower and Aoxa,[/COLOR]

[COLOR=DAA520]I'm not sure to hope for sickness or cold/wet as the cause for her demise.  Either one has it own problems.  I'm watching the flock and hoping there's no illness spreading ([/COLOR][COLOR=DAA520]esp. with the rain we got this weekend[/COLOR][COLOR=DAA520]).  Normal-feathered birds have a bit of oil that allows water to roll off them - do silkies have this same ability/oiliness?[/COLOR] 

[COLOR=DAA520]The bantams hadn't been having a heat lamp ([/COLOR][COLOR=DAA520]first in the house when we got her at around 4-5 weeks old, then later in the coop for the past 8 or so weeks- she was 15 weeks old when she died[/COLOR][COLOR=DAA520])  so she should have been getting used to the falling temps, plus she usually snuggled with the d'uccles that she came home with. [/COLOR]

For next time:
[COLOR=DAA520]First, I'll try to get spring hatched chickens and get a minimum of 3.  That way, they have the fullest amount of feathers available.  Plus they will have each other for warmth.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=DAA520]Second, I'm going to try waiting until 2014 when my laying flock will need replacing so the silkies can have that space ([/COLOR][COLOR=DAA520]bantam coop and big coop are at capacity and I don't want to crowd[/COLOR][COLOR=DAA520]).  Either that or need to have fewer D'uccles ([/COLOR][COLOR=DAA520]4x4 coop with 9 in it now[/COLOR][COLOR=DAA520]). [/COLOR]
[COLOR=DAA520]DS1 has said that he wants a different color; she was good type ([/COLOR][COLOR=DAA520]IMO untrained as it may be[/COLOR][COLOR=DAA520]) but he loved her and her color so he wants to change because of his memories.  Don't know what he'll choose. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=DAA520]CG[/COLOR]

My silkies were out all day yesterday in the rain. They went to bed sopping wet - but thankfully it didn't get very cold overnight. They were very wet. Such stupid birds

It could be one of those instances where you won't really know for sure..

And yes, silkies do not have the same waterproof oil on their feathers. At least that is what it appears to look like. All the other birds were much less wet than the silkies yesterday.

 

[aoxa]

Thanks to you guys, I had a dream last night that I was picking up a box of day old silkies at the post office. ROFL!

It's a sign.. You have to get some more now..

 

[sheeshshe]

Ok, so how much feather pulling/fighting is OK to let the silkies do when they're establishing a pecking order? is any of it ok? will they really hurt each other? or does it just really just LOOK bad?

I tried to introduce my older silkie (Pompette) again this morning, but in the run instead. She's in a cage inside of the coop with the 'chicks'. One of the older chicks (Peppermint) really isn't that much smaller than Pompette is. Pompette and Peppermint keep 'going at it', and Peppermint is going for Pompette just as much or even MORE than Pompette is going after peppermint. Perhaps Peppermint is the 'leader' of the 3 chicks. Either way, how much of it is OK to just let them hash it out? and at what point do you intervene and say, enough is enough? I separated them after a minute of that. Feathers being pulled out etc. I just don't want them to get hurt. But I know they have to establish themselves too.

 

[sheeshshe]

It's a sign.. You have to get some more now..

HAHAHA!!!

I had some buffs and lavenders in my box LOL

Naw, its all good. I am going to try and let the one we have now, multiply a little. My son really wants to try hatching out some eggs bc he thinks it is cool. Of course, the silkies will be the ones hatching them out and all I don't plan on making a habit of it, but you never know

 

[aoxa]

Ok, so how much feather pulling/fighting is OK to let the silkies do when they're establishing a pecking order?    is any of it ok?  will they really hurt each other?  or does it just really just LOOK bad?

I tried to introduce my older silkie (Pompette) again this morning, but in the run instead.  She's in a cage inside of the coop with the 'chicks'.  One of the older chicks (Peppermint) really isn't that much smaller than Pompette is.  Pompette and Peppermint keep 'going at it', and Peppermint is going for Pompette just as much or even MORE than Pompette is going after peppermint.  Perhaps Peppermint is the 'leader' of the 3 chicks.  Either way, how much of it is OK to just let them hash it out?  and at what point do you intervene and say, enough is enough?  I separated them after a minute of that.  Feathers being pulled out etc.  I just don't want them to get hurt.  But I know they have to establish themselves too.

I say enough is enough when blood is drawn, or if I just get this feeling.. Like I have a sizzle rooster (George) and he is extremely afraid of a few of the other roosters, so I do my best to make him feel safe. He never stands up for himself, and will crawl into little nooks and hide all day. I had to build him a separate pen, but I find that girls tend to settle things themselves within a week or two. I've never really seen a lot of bullying in my silkie pen.

 

[sheeshshe]

Should I keep trying every day? Or should I just say, get it out of your system. Is it just going to prolong things if I keep interfering?

 

[aoxa]

Should I keep trying every day?  Or should I just say, get it out of your system.  Is it just going to prolong things if I keep interfering?

I'd let them sort it out. If it is really bad, remove the bully, not the new comers.

 

[sheeshshe]

Ok, I'll give it another try! Pompette laid an egg this morning, woohoo! LOL. all the chickens are on strike bc of the lack of daylight. I added light a week ago

 

[Suzierd]

I can't get over how much Rusty has changed as he grows. Just wanted to share.
When he was a young sprout

Now about seven months

He's really getting a black beard now.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I pretty much agree. But one thing you ought to do (if you didn't) is to put one in a wire cage inside the pen for several doays where they can see and hear each other, but not actually make physical contact. Let them get used to each other before putting them in together. Also, it can be easier to add several at a time than just one. Sometimes. I find that my hens are much more likely to fight for dominance than are the boys. However, that does not prevent a dominant hen (usually the smallest adult girl, lol) from putting young cockerels in their place when they are put into HER pen.