Basil Gray
In the Brooder
- Apr 13, 2015
- 19
- 0
- 22
This is my second year raising silkies. Last year I had two blue hens (one bearded one non bearded) I bred them to a black partridge bearded cockerel. I had a total of 10 live chicks and 2 that did not hatch every single one had 5 toes on each foot (even the ones that did not hatch.
I saved two chicks from last year one non bearded blue partridge cockerel and one bearded pullet (one came from one hen one from the other so they are half siblings if that means anything) to hatch eggs from them along with their parents. The two younger ones were in a coop with a cochin hen and two of the mutts I hatched last year (the pullet and cockerel mutt's father is a NHR X BO with a BSL mother).
Yesterday on day 22 I got tired of waiting and no one was making any noise in the eggs so I cracked 2 open (silkie). Both chicks were blue with 4 toes on each foot and they both had a single comb and black skin. One of the chicks forgot to absorb its intestines, but the other did. They both still had a day or two left for absorbing yolk and both were barely alive when I cracked them out.
Today I had one black chick hatch this morning and its right foot has 4 toes and its left foot has 5. This one does not have a single comb. It was more lively than the two from yesterday but not as perky as chicks normally are (this time I had a gallon of electrolyte water with me and got some of that in him/her and now its hanging out under a heat lamp. Also this chick cannot seem to stand it will sit on its' butt, but it cannot walk)
Right now I have another chick hatching and it's sticking out its' head and a foot with 4 toes. (I have no idea why it is hatching like that)
I need someone's opinion on this. Why now are 4 toes just showing up. And why were the other with their problems. Was it possible that the silkie crossed with the mutt and that produced some bad genes. I'll post more chick drama when it happens, I would just like some other opinions because I am working on chicken genetics for a school project
I saved two chicks from last year one non bearded blue partridge cockerel and one bearded pullet (one came from one hen one from the other so they are half siblings if that means anything) to hatch eggs from them along with their parents. The two younger ones were in a coop with a cochin hen and two of the mutts I hatched last year (the pullet and cockerel mutt's father is a NHR X BO with a BSL mother).
Yesterday on day 22 I got tired of waiting and no one was making any noise in the eggs so I cracked 2 open (silkie). Both chicks were blue with 4 toes on each foot and they both had a single comb and black skin. One of the chicks forgot to absorb its intestines, but the other did. They both still had a day or two left for absorbing yolk and both were barely alive when I cracked them out.
Today I had one black chick hatch this morning and its right foot has 4 toes and its left foot has 5. This one does not have a single comb. It was more lively than the two from yesterday but not as perky as chicks normally are (this time I had a gallon of electrolyte water with me and got some of that in him/her and now its hanging out under a heat lamp. Also this chick cannot seem to stand it will sit on its' butt, but it cannot walk)
Right now I have another chick hatching and it's sticking out its' head and a foot with 4 toes. (I have no idea why it is hatching like that)
I need someone's opinion on this. Why now are 4 toes just showing up. And why were the other with their problems. Was it possible that the silkie crossed with the mutt and that produced some bad genes. I'll post more chick drama when it happens, I would just like some other opinions because I am working on chicken genetics for a school project
