Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[Chickeria]

It was not your fault! you wanted her to enjoy herself outside that day, at least she spent her last moments outside, in the fresh air. She was probably so thankful for how much you cared about her

Thank you for your kind words, dear PippinTheChicken

 

[Chickeria]

Here it is now Tuesday, 11:30 am - they all seem to be well, acting normal, being active. Roberta is always with the group. I still haven't seen her eat from the pullet pellets. I will offer her selfmade food at lunchtime.
I'm still carefull about being too optimistic. I've read a lot about coccidiosis in the meantime...

 

[LynnaePB]

Hi dear friends...sad news from little flock
My little ones do have coccidiosis and today, about four hours ago, my little Herzchen/Little Heart died in my arms or better said in front of my feet because she was flapping and kicking so hard. I'm so sad and I feel so sorry. And I feel guilty because I was not able to prevent it and to protect them from it, and especially her, who has now lost her life, way too soon.
Sorry this will be a longer post...
4 days ago something adventurous and kind of funny happened in my little flock, and I wanted to tell you all about it, but then I didn't have the time to come on board. At the time everything still was ok...
The day before yesterday, Friday, I noticed some strange dark red patches in the bedding in the morning. I went to tell and to fetch my mom, and I thought: hopefully not coccidiosis. When we came back there was so much fresh blood everywhere...so we thought somebody must be injured. We immediately started to check everybody when I noticed Brioche was standing in the cardboard box house which had never been the case before - and so I knew it was Brioche. We took her out and I expected a tore off toe or something like that. But then I found a bloody clot in her behind's fluff. We separated her. When directly starting cleaning their area I noticed Maku had exactly a same bloody clot in his behind's fluff. Now I was pretty sure it could be coccidiosis. I put Maku together with Brioche and called the vets the owners of the chickens my mom and I visit daily had told me own chickens and treat chickens (I wasn't very happy to do so because about 15 years ago we went there with our tortoises and weren't happy and confinced about the way they dealt with our animals, and so we never went there again - but finding a vet who treats chickens is so difficult, so...) I asked on the phone if I could bring them a poop sample and if they would sell me the medication if coccidiosis would be verified (sadly in my country you can't get Corid and always need a vet for prescriptions). The vet told me they already do have enough customers and patients and don't take anybody new in - she refused to help my little ones while knowing no other vet in this towns treats chickens... Never ever I will try those vets again. I tried another vet hoping to get the poop sample checked to be able to plan further steps. They told me they don't do chickens but could send in the poop sample in a laboratory. But if coccidiosis would be verified they wouldn't be allowed to prescribe the needed medication (due to laws in my country a vet needs special certifications to treat chickens and most don't have this) - they wanted to help, but they couldn't. So I waited till the farer away vet our vet from the vet clinic had recommended to us to be specialized in birds opened and was reachable. Maku and Brioche both pooped a lot of blood and slept the most time huddled together. They didn't want to eat and drink, but when I offered fluids on a little plastic spoon they drank. I mixed some electrolytes after a recipe I had found somewhere and gave this to them regularly. Then I could reach the vet. They said we could bring over the poop, she would test it and we could get the medication from them if needed. So thankfully my dad drove with me (I don't own a car) half an hour to the vet. I gave her the poop sample and the vet said: call me on Monday, then I will have the results, today I'm so busy I won't have time to do the floating. My chin dropped under my mask. I pleaded her to please do it earlier because two of my little ones are lethargic and pooping a lot of blood. She said I will see, call me on 6 pm. So we had to drive home without knowing if it is c. and without medication. On 6 pm I was told on the phone they do have c. and we can come and fetch the medication the next morning. In the evening I saw Maku eat. My mom saw Brioche eat. We put Maku and Brioche back to the others to sleep together as always knowing they all would need the same treatment. Both started drinking that evening. The next morning both of them were alert, drinking, eating, preening. Gold colored Brioche looked as if never there had been blood clotches - totally clean. Maku crowed together with the other cockerells. They both clearly felt better. But now Herzchen and Roberta had blood on their behinds' fluffs, were lethargic and refused to drink and eat. We fetched the medication - Baycox - and put it in the waterer. Roberta started to drink, Herzchen refused. I gave her little amounts from the plastic spoon. When I took her up she always made a little weak peep. She later on hid in the tiny cardboard house stuffed with scratched in bedding never anyone had went inside before. This gave me a bad feeling. But then she came out by herself, so I had confidence again. Roberta and Herzchen slept a lot, nearly all the time. One moment my mom thought Roberta was dead because she was flattened out so much. Herzchen started to drink in the evening and I was so relieved. This morning she refused again. I tried so often, gave her drop by drop. I could see the skin between her toes was creased because of the lack of fluids. I gave her some little pieces of soaked pellets in her beak which was kind of force-feeding She was weak. She had difficulties to stand and slept all the time. I had a bad feeling. When I fed all the others a chopped cooked egg and made our 'food call' she came running over and then stood in front of the plate, doing nothing, it was heartbreaking. Then she went to the waterer and drank, for the first time by herself this day, and I got new hope. When I fetched her to give her some more fluids I heard drops hitting the ground. Then I realized there came a huge amount of fluids and some tiny pieces of food from Friday (little pieces of hemp) out of her crop, and there was a sour smell... I think her digestiv system had collapsed at this point. Her crop felt soft and kind of filled with fluids, which I couldn't understand because she had taken in not enough fluids. My mom held her when I tried to give her medicated water again (we were on the terrace because there was better light and I wanted to see exactly I was only giving her drops at the peak of her beak to take in by herself because I was so afraid to suffocate her). I think at this point she was too weak to swallow anything. I don't know if it was fluids from the crop, or the drops I was trying to give her - from what I saw I think my dear little girl suffocated. It was horrible and unbelievably sad.
The moment she had died it started raining. My dear, dear little Herzchen.
My mom shoveled Herzchen's grave. She is now with little number 13 who developped fully but never pipped. And the babies from my friend that never hatched.

I hope all the others will recover. Schneeman/Snowman also had bloody poop yesterday but acts normal all the time (eating, drinking, being active). There must at least be someone else with bloody poop, but I couldn't identify who it is till now. I'm very worried about Roberta - she doesn't eat much (nearly nothing). But she doesn't hide at the moment, preens herself, is drinking and in the group.

Herzchen was such a special little girl. Always the tiniest although she was the first one who hatched. She immediately came to the incubator's front pane, looked at us and talked to us after hatching.
When they were in their first brooder, a modified self build terrarium, she always jumped up onto the rail when we opened the sliding doors. She was the only one who did this. Later in the big brooder she always jumped on the edge and then on my arm or shoulder. So sweet. She was the most active one, we always joked when they freeranged: she runs ten times more than anyone else. She was the first one catching a worm. It was such a huge worm - that picture of tiny Herzchen running around carrying proudly that giant worm...and she ate him!
The adventurous, funny story I wanted to share was also about her. My mom was with them. Suddenly she saw Herzchen carrying around something. She went over and realized Herzchen was carrying a mouse, the tail in her beak, the body dangling. Then my mom realized the mouse was alive! She caught Herzchen, who didn't want to let that mouse go! She held Herzchen over the chicken fence and shaked her carefully till she let the mouse fall. Little Herzchen, our big huntress...I had to weight Herzchen because of the Baycox treatment - yesterday she had 490 grams (1,08 pound)... My dad, who also liked her very much always called her 'Tiny'.
Herzchen was the only one with light skin and green-silver feet, and she did have beautiful golden eyes. Her little face was yellow. Her tiny wattles were light rose-orange. I think one of her parents must have been a Cuckoo Silkie, because of her light skin. The other parent must have been red or buff or yellow, because she was kind of an orange Cuckoo. You could see all the little red-golden stripes, looking a bit like those from red kittens, in the sunlight.

I always tried to avoide to have a favorite because of several reasons. Of course I have red here on BYC several posts where owners mourned the loss of their favorite and many posts saying it is always the favorites to die (first). I remember one post where a mother wrote her little daughter always says loudly 'I don't like this chick very much' to "hide" this is her favorite and because she is so afraid therefore the chick will have to die...
I have to admit Herzchen was my favorite.
Once, before my babies hatched, I posted on here that kind of a secret wish of mine was to own a little Cuckoo hen one day... I was so surprised when I realized Herzchen was kind of a red-orange Cuckoo. But by that time she was my favorite anyway, because of her being so extremely sweet, funny and brave, so friendly. Her sweet little voice...
I'm so glad Herzchen was my little hen and we shared the time we did have together. I hope she enjoyed her short life with us. We wanted her to be happy all the time.
Love is forever...

Little Herzchen:

View attachment 2746964

View attachment 2746967

View attachment 2746971

View attachment 2746972

View attachment 2746992

View attachment 2746993

View attachment 2746994

View attachment 2746998

I am so so sorry you lost your little Herzchen.

She sounds like she was such a wonderful girl and dearly loved. She may not have had a long life but I'm sure she loved her time with you and had a great life while she lived.

It sounds like you did everything you could. I'm so sorry the whole ordeal trying to get them diagnosed and treated was so difficult! It's so hard not to focus on what ifs and feeling guilty but I hope you will not give yourself too hard a time. It really shows how much you care for them.

I'm so glad to hear Roberta is doing better and I hope everything is uphill for your little flock from here.

 

[Chickeria]

I am so so sorry you lost your little Herzchen.

She sounds like she was such a wonderful girl and dearly loved. She may not have had a long life but I'm sure she loved her time with you and had a great life while she lived.

It sounds like you did everything you could. I'm so sorry the whole ordeal trying to get them diagnosed and treated was so difficult! It's so hard not to focus on what ifs and feeling guilty but I hope you will not give yourself too hard a time. It really shows how much you care for them.

I'm so glad to hear Roberta is doing better and I hope everything is uphill for your little flock from here.

Thank you so much LynnaePB
She was so incredibly sweet. I still hear her particular sweet 'Peep!', her sweet little voice.
I miss her so much and at the same time it hurts so much to think of her.
Yeah the what ifs...and the guilt... how to deal with that...

Roberta ate a good amount of food for lunch. Many of the others went to rest a bit after eating, but she went rummaging around in the peat. She now does have a good energy level again, I think. The others all seem to be ok at the moment.
But from what I read it is the next couple of weeks that will show.

Thank you for your kind words

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Bantam coop integration is complete!
So both Hanabi and Himawari slept in the coop the past 2 nights with the others. Himawari found a pocket in the side of a brick to sleep in. She is 8 weeks old now and prefers to sleep behind or under things. I think she feels safer that way. Though none of the others are harrasing her. Must be instinct still at this age.
We added a little Shetland Hen, Fiona, to the bantam coop. Unexpected addition, but she assimilated easily. She is small and very mild mannered like a silkie, though apparently Eko was unaware that this little wisp has a Scottish temperament when needed. He tried to show her that he is the boss, and she let him know otherwise! He has not bothered her since.
Bantam chicks were in chill mode for the most part while the big girls were out "free ranging".
Astrid at 12 weeks, is already bigger than any of my adult hens other than my Wyandotte, Rosie. She and a little Olive Egger, Aiya, will be moving to the layer coop in the next few weeks, so integration continues!
I also picked up two beautiful Marans pullets, that are still in quarantine, yet un-named. One is a lavender Marans, other is a BCM, around 4-5 months of age. From a breeder with very dark eggs, so looking forward to that in a few months.
Photo heavy!

The littles checking out Frankie!

Kinoko now at almost 5 months. Love her green sheened feathers.
Aiya, olive egger to the left and Amai behind her.

Amai hanging out with Fiona

Himawari somehow gets up on top of the A-Frame, but then can not figure out how to get down again, so has to be rescued.

Standard girls chilling out. All the same age, Astrid is almost twice the others size!

Eko sleeping. He is 3 months old now, expect him to crow anytime!

The Bobblehead twins, Elvis and Artemis. Crests are a bit dirty from the rain.

Kana coming to see what I am doing.

I always enjoy chicken TV!

 

[LynnaePB]

Bantam coop integration is complete!
So both Hanabi and Himawari slept in the coop the past 2 nights with the others. Himawari found a pocket in the side of a brick to sleep in. She is 8 weeks old now and prefers to sleep behind or under things. I think she feels safer that way. Though none of the others are harrasing her. Must be instinct still at this age.
We added a little Shetland Hen, Fiona, to the bantam coop. Unexpected addition, but she assimilated easily. She is small and very mild mannered like a silkie, though apparently Eko was unaware that this little wisp has a Scottish temperament when needed. He tried to show her that he is the boss, and she let him know otherwise! He has not bothered her since.
Bantam chicks were in chill mode for the most part while the big girls were out "free ranging".
Astrid at 12 weeks, is already bigger than any of my adult hens other than my Wyandotte, Rosie. She and a little Olive Egger, Aiya, will be moving to the layer coop in the next few weeks, so integration continues!
I also picked up two beautiful Marans pullets, that are still in quarantine, yet un-named. One is a lavender Marans, other is a BCM, around 4-5 months of age. From a breeder with very dark eggs, so looking forward to that in a few months.
Photo heavy!

The littles checking out Frankie!
View attachment 2749947View attachment 2749943
Kinoko now at almost 5 months. Love her green sheened feathers.
Aiya, olive egger to the left and Amai behind her.
View attachment 2749956View attachment 2749930View attachment 2749928
Amai hanging out with Fiona
View attachment 2749927
View attachment 2749939
Himawari somehow gets up on top of the A-Frame, but then can not figure out how to get down again, so has to be rescued.
View attachment 2749941
Standard girls chilling out. All the same age, Astrid is almost twice the others size!
View attachment 2749932
Eko sleeping. He is 3 months old now, expect him to crow anytime!
View attachment 2749931
The Bobblehead twins, Elvis and Artemis. Crests are a bit dirty from the rain.
View attachment 2749952View attachment 2749953
Kana coming to see what I am doing.
View attachment 2749955
I always enjoy chicken TV!

Aww such a gorgeous flock of little ones you have (and some bigger ones)! I'm so glad integration was a success in the bantam coop! I hope everything goes well for the standard sized girls as well when you integrate them.

 

[Chickeria]

Bantam coop integration is complete!
So both Hanabi and Himawari slept in the coop the past 2 nights with the others. Himawari found a pocket in the side of a brick to sleep in. She is 8 weeks old now and prefers to sleep behind or under things. I think she feels safer that way. Though none of the others are harrasing her. Must be instinct still at this age.
We added a little Shetland Hen, Fiona, to the bantam coop. Unexpected addition, but she assimilated easily. She is small and very mild mannered like a silkie, though apparently Eko was unaware that this little wisp has a Scottish temperament when needed. He tried to show her that he is the boss, and she let him know otherwise! He has not bothered her since.
Bantam chicks were in chill mode for the most part while the big girls were out "free ranging".
Astrid at 12 weeks, is already bigger than any of my adult hens other than my Wyandotte, Rosie. She and a little Olive Egger, Aiya, will be moving to the layer coop in the next few weeks, so integration continues!
I also picked up two beautiful Marans pullets, that are still in quarantine, yet un-named. One is a lavender Marans, other is a BCM, around 4-5 months of age. From a breeder with very dark eggs, so looking forward to that in a few months.
Photo heavy!

The littles checking out Frankie!
View attachment 2749947View attachment 2749943
Kinoko now at almost 5 months. Love her green sheened feathers.
Aiya, olive egger to the left and Amai behind her.
View attachment 2749956View attachment 2749930View attachment 2749928
Amai hanging out with Fiona
View attachment 2749927
View attachment 2749939
Himawari somehow gets up on top of the A-Frame, but then can not figure out how to get down again, so has to be rescued.
View attachment 2749941
Standard girls chilling out. All the same age, Astrid is almost twice the others size!
View attachment 2749932
Eko sleeping. He is 3 months old now, expect him to crow anytime!
View attachment 2749931
The Bobblehead twins, Elvis and Artemis. Crests are a bit dirty from the rain.
View attachment 2749952View attachment 2749953
Kana coming to see what I am doing.
View attachment 2749955
I always enjoy chicken TV!

How awesome! What a beautiful and cute flock! Adorable
I love the pictures!
Do you have a picture of little Himawari sleeping in the brick-pocket? It sounds so sweet.

 

[Mariella posey]

I hope you guys don't mind me butting in and asking a question. What color do you think this chick is?

 

[LynnaePB]

Aww so cute! The little one doesn't really look like standard colored chicks I've seen so I'd say they are probably going to be some type of mix color. Down color can be deceiving and if colors were mixed you could get all sorts of things. The color looks closest to grey/silver partridge chicks I've seen so it might end up being that or look similar. I'm sure it'll be fun watching this little mystery color baby grow!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Hi dear friends...sad news from little flock
My little ones do have coccidiosis and today, about four hours ago, my little Herzchen/Little Heart died in my arms or better said in front of my feet because she was flapping and kicking so hard. I'm so sad and I feel so sorry. And I feel guilty because I was not able to prevent it and to protect them from it, and especially her, who has now lost her life, way too soon.
Sorry this will be a longer post...
4 days ago something adventurous and kind of funny happened in my little flock, and I wanted to tell you all about it, but then I didn't have the time to come on board. At the time everything still was ok...
The day before yesterday, Friday, I noticed some strange dark red patches in the bedding in the morning. I went to tell and to fetch my mom, and I thought: hopefully not coccidiosis. When we came back there was so much fresh blood everywhere...so we thought somebody must be injured. We immediately started to check everybody when I noticed Brioche was standing in the cardboard box house which had never been the case before - and so I knew it was Brioche. We took her out and I expected a tore off toe or something like that. But then I found a bloody clot in her behind's fluff. We separated her. When directly starting cleaning their area I noticed Maku had exactly a same bloody clot in his behind's fluff. Now I was pretty sure it could be coccidiosis. I put Maku together with Brioche and called the vets the owners of the chickens my mom and I visit daily had told me own chickens and treat chickens (I wasn't very happy to do so because about 15 years ago we went there with our tortoises and weren't happy and confinced about the way they dealt with our animals, and so we never went there again - but finding a vet who treats chickens is so difficult, so...) I asked on the phone if I could bring them a poop sample and if they would sell me the medication if coccidiosis would be verified (sadly in my country you can't get Corid and always need a vet for prescriptions). The vet told me they already do have enough customers and patients and don't take anybody new in - she refused to help my little ones while knowing no other vet in this towns treats chickens... Never ever I will try those vets again. I tried another vet hoping to get the poop sample checked to be able to plan further steps. They told me they don't do chickens but could send in the poop sample in a laboratory. But if coccidiosis would be verified they wouldn't be allowed to prescribe the needed medication (due to laws in my country a vet needs special certifications to treat chickens and most don't have this) - they wanted to help, but they couldn't. So I waited till the farer away vet our vet from the vet clinic had recommended to us to be specialized in birds opened and was reachable. Maku and Brioche both pooped a lot of blood and slept the most time huddled together. They didn't want to eat and drink, but when I offered fluids on a little plastic spoon they drank. I mixed some electrolytes after a recipe I had found somewhere and gave this to them regularly. Then I could reach the vet. They said we could bring over the poop, she would test it and we could get the medication from them if needed. So thankfully my dad drove with me (I don't own a car) half an hour to the vet. I gave her the poop sample and the vet said: call me on Monday, then I will have the results, today I'm so busy I won't have time to do the floating. My chin dropped under my mask. I pleaded her to please do it earlier because two of my little ones are lethargic and pooping a lot of blood. She said I will see, call me on 6 pm. So we had to drive home without knowing if it is c. and without medication. On 6 pm I was told on the phone they do have c. and we can come and fetch the medication the next morning. In the evening I saw Maku eat. My mom saw Brioche eat. We put Maku and Brioche back to the others to sleep together as always knowing they all would need the same treatment. Both started drinking that evening. The next morning both of them were alert, drinking, eating, preening. Gold colored Brioche looked as if never there had been blood clotches - totally clean. Maku crowed together with the other cockerells. They both clearly felt better. But now Herzchen and Roberta had blood on their behinds' fluffs, were lethargic and refused to drink and eat. We fetched the medication - Baycox - and put it in the waterer. Roberta started to drink, Herzchen refused. I gave her little amounts from the plastic spoon. When I took her up she always made a little weak peep. She later on hid in the tiny cardboard house stuffed with scratched in bedding never anyone had went inside before. This gave me a bad feeling. But then she came out by herself, so I had confidence again. Roberta and Herzchen slept a lot, nearly all the time. One moment my mom thought Roberta was dead because she was flattened out so much. Herzchen started to drink in the evening and I was so relieved. This morning she refused again. I tried so often, gave her drop by drop. I could see the skin between her toes was creased because of the lack of fluids. I gave her some little pieces of soaked pellets in her beak which was kind of force-feeding She was weak. She had difficulties to stand and slept all the time. I had a bad feeling. When I fed all the others a chopped cooked egg and made our 'food call' she came running over and then stood in front of the plate, doing nothing, it was heartbreaking. Then she went to the waterer and drank, for the first time by herself this day, and I got new hope. When I fetched her to give her some more fluids I heard drops hitting the ground. Then I realized there came a huge amount of fluids and some tiny pieces of food from Friday (little pieces of hemp) out of her crop, and there was a sour smell... I think her digestiv system had collapsed at this point. Her crop felt soft and kind of filled with fluids, which I couldn't understand because she had taken in not enough fluids. My mom held her when I tried to give her medicated water again (we were on the terrace because there was better light and I wanted to see exactly I was only giving her drops at the peak of her beak to take in by herself because I was so afraid to suffocate her). I think at this point she was too weak to swallow anything. I don't know if it was fluids from the crop, or the drops I was trying to give her - from what I saw I think my dear little girl suffocated. It was horrible and unbelievably sad.
The moment she had died it started raining. My dear, dear little Herzchen.
My mom shoveled Herzchen's grave. She is now with little number 13 who developped fully but never pipped. And the babies from my friend that never hatched.

I hope all the others will recover. Schneeman/Snowman also had bloody poop yesterday but acts normal all the time (eating, drinking, being active). There must at least be someone else with bloody poop, but I couldn't identify who it is till now. I'm very worried about Roberta - she doesn't eat much (nearly nothing). But she doesn't hide at the moment, preens herself, is drinking and in the group.

Herzchen was such a special little girl. Always the tiniest although she was the first one who hatched. She immediately came to the incubator's front pane, looked at us and talked to us after hatching.
When they were in their first brooder, a modified self build terrarium, she always jumped up onto the rail when we opened the sliding doors. She was the only one who did this. Later in the big brooder she always jumped on the edge and then on my arm or shoulder. So sweet. She was the most active one, we always joked when they freeranged: she runs ten times more than anyone else. She was the first one catching a worm. It was such a huge worm - that picture of tiny Herzchen running around carrying proudly that giant worm...and she ate him!
The adventurous, funny story I wanted to share was also about her. My mom was with them. Suddenly she saw Herzchen carrying around something. She went over and realized Herzchen was carrying a mouse, the tail in her beak, the body dangling. Then my mom realized the mouse was alive! She caught Herzchen, who didn't want to let that mouse go! She held Herzchen over the chicken fence and shaked her carefully till she let the mouse fall. Little Herzchen, our big huntress...I had to weight Herzchen because of the Baycox treatment - yesterday she had 490 grams (1,08 pound)... My dad, who also liked her very much always called her 'Tiny'.
Herzchen was the only one with light skin and green-silver feet, and she did have beautiful golden eyes. Her little face was yellow. Her tiny wattles were light rose-orange. I think one of her parents must have been a Cuckoo Silkie, because of her light skin. The other parent must have been red or buff or yellow, because she was kind of an orange Cuckoo. You could see all the little red-golden stripes, looking a bit like those from red kittens, in the sunlight.

I always tried to avoide to have a favorite because of several reasons. Of course I have red here on BYC several posts where owners mourned the loss of their favorite and many posts saying it is always the favorites to die (first). I remember one post where a mother wrote her little daughter always says loudly 'I don't like this chick very much' to "hide" this is her favorite and because she is so afraid therefore the chick will have to die...
I have to admit Herzchen was my favorite.
Once, before my babies hatched, I posted on here that kind of a secret wish of mine was to own a little Cuckoo hen one day... I was so surprised when I realized Herzchen was kind of a red-orange Cuckoo. But by that time she was my favorite anyway, because of her being so extremely sweet, funny and brave, so friendly. Her sweet little voice...
I'm so glad Herzchen was my little hen and we shared the time we did have together. I hope she enjoyed her short life with us. We wanted her to be happy all the time.
Love is forever...

Little Herzchen:

View attachment 2746964

View attachment 2746967

View attachment 2746971

View attachment 2746972

View attachment 2746992

View attachment 2746993

View attachment 2746994

View attachment 2746998

Im so so sorry for your loss. I read through your entire post and could feel all your pain RIP Herzchen ❤ Glad you got to share your time on Earth with her.