Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[LadiesAndJane]

Thank you all for your sympathy. This is the only place I know where I won’t here the comment “it’s just a chicken”. I appreciate you all so much.

 

[Chickeria]

But now you have me thinking of blueberries and strawberries

Yeah, those are great, too!
We do have two big blueberry plants in big pots - I'm sure they would do good in raised planter beds. From the strawberries they also do like to eat from the leaves.

Thanks! 3 have hatched! Black, partridge and yellowish chick colours..
I've got high hopes for the little partridge to have red leakage
Little black one head peaking out..
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Puff is on 6 developing eggs one week to go till hers hatch - and she's getting very clucky hearing Char's chicks beside her!
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Just add another pic!! They all came out
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That's wonderful - congrats I'm so glad the third baby hatched, too
Adorable!
Fingers crossed for Puffs' eggs and for your eggs in the incubator, LynnaePB

my eggs started to hatch. I have had 2 mistery eggs, either silkie (from my rip roo) or pekin. I helped a chick get out as membrane was as thick as leather and I think it is a beautiful black silkieI didn't want to examine the chick as it is still weak but it seems it has 5 toes. another one is hatching as well as one brahma and one leghorn. I have 3 eggs more, 2 brahma and 1 leghorn.

How exciting - congrats I hope everybody hatches well

Congratulations everyone on all those beautiful silkie chicks hatching. I'm trying not to get too excited about my 3 developing Chiquita eggs as they still have 10 days to go and I know anything can still happen. All these cute chicks is definitely not helping that.

I think we can all agree that Silkies can’t compete with egg laying champs like Leghorns and other standard breeds.
Though most of my silkies are fairly decent layers, one even laid 40 eggs before she went broody!
She of course was an exception!

My 6 girls started laying at the age of 5 month (September last year, well Mirabelle on 31rst August) and since then we got eggs every day. I noted the number of eggs (well forgot some days but mostly) - - I will have to make an egg-count
My parents and I are pretty amazed by the amount of eggs those little girls give us.
But yes - surely not compareable with Leghorns!

New littles, 2 days old. I shared this photo on the hatching thread as well. So apologies if you’ve already seen it!View attachment 2985492

Oh I love them

 

[Chickeria]

My little injured chick was not doing so well this morning. Rechecked her leg and had exposed bone at the knee joint.
Still have no idea how this injury occurred, it was just in the incubator and then the dryer. There’s no sharp edges or anything she could’ve hurt herself on. This combined with not getting enough food in this little one I decided to make the hard decision to cull it. First time I’ve had to do this myself believe it or not! Very difficult experience, I don’t even like killing bugs.
At least she’s not suffering anymore and I’ll bury her under the orange tree with others that have died over the years.

I'm so very sorry
This must have been so hard.
But as you say - now she doesn't suffer anymore.
RIP sweet little baby

 

[Chickeria]

I tried wrapping and the leg still goes a bit backwards but not as bad. He is drinking and eating on his own and can sort of hobble around. I'll have to rewrap again later to get a tighter fit. At least Char is being completely fine about me handling the chicks

How is your injured baby doing, ForTheLoveOfSilkies?

always give sesame seeds to the chicks that have any leg issues.

my first hatched silkie chick was running inside the bator and got splayed legs. I put a small rubber band and it looks ok so far. they all got sesame seeds, chick starter and honey water. so only 4 chicks hatched: 2 silkies, 1 brahma and 1 white leghorn.

Congrats on your hatched babies
How does the chick with the splayed legs do?

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

.... Chickie update, the bandage seems to be working ok. He's eating and drinking and active. Time will tell I guess if he will get better.
From this.. yesterday..

To this today... I'm not sure how long to keep the bandage on for though. His leg still goes backwards and he's hobbling around.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Oh so sad @LadiesAndJane you did an amazing job making the little chickie
comfortable and supported with handmade specialised equipment. It is so difficult to cull any chicken but it almost makes me cry when I have to do a chick. I use a quick head pull off method by hand so it's instant death, no suffering

 

[Chickeria]

Joey didn't sound good when I went to coop this morning...breathing eith his beak open and little sneezes...he's eating but not drinking.

He did crow a little but just sits around. Poop looks normal.
Am I overreacting? I've got him inside since it is in 20s.

Joey is so cute Sometimes he reminds me somehow a bit of a snow owl!

Comatose house pets.. sorry for any duplicate past posts
Their indoor and outdoor behaviors are like night and day.

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.... Chickie update, the bandage seems to be working ok. He's eating and drinking and active. Time will tell I guess if he will get better.
From this.. yesterday..
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To this today... I'm not sure how long to keep the bandage on for though. His leg still goes backwards and he's hobbling around.
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Oh wow, the bandage makes a big difference for her/him!
Is her/his little foot (the toes) always curled as in picture 2 or was it just the moment picture was taken?
What a sweetheart - fingers crossed

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Oh so sad @LadiesAndJane you did an amazing job making the little chickie
comfortable and supported with handmade specialised equipment. It is so difficult to cull any chicken but it almost makes me cry when I have to do a chick. I use a quick head pull off method by hand so it's instant death, no suffering

I pray I am never faced with that...I've heard my Granny talk bout it all my life but I don't think I could ever do it and I know my husband wouldn't. But I would hate to let em suffer too.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I've been wanting to get a buff...and look what the lady in Alabama (Fielder Farms) just posted!!! OMGeeze...I gotta get more eggs from her! The quality of satins is out of this.world amazing!

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Joey is so cute Sometimes he reminds me somehow a bit of a snow owl!




Oh wow, the bandage makes a big difference for her/him!
Is her/his little foot (the toes) always curled as in picture 2 or was it just the moment picture was taken?
What a sweetheart - fingers crossed

Just that pic with curled toes yesterday. Awkward position for chickie to get use to with having a bent leg instead of straight backwards. Hopefully in a day he can walk on his own.