Splash/ Blue Silkie Thread

[LisaLouHoo]

Blues from my first hatch of the Spring. All the blue and self blue chicks came from my Self Blue roo x dark Blue hens. All of them are split to Self Blue. The chick in the back was named Zorro. Pile of silkie blue-ness.

Darling chicks!

 

[LisaLouHoo]

Need advice. I have a mama silkie who is mothering 6 marans chicks that are 3 days old now. She is doing a fine job, but the chicks are getting seriously stuck to her underside silkie feathers. I found one attached to her that was dead and I've now had to cut with a pair of scissors to separate 3 of them that thankfully made it. Has anyone else had this problem and has a solution??

 

[MumsyIII]

Need advice. I have a mama silkie who is mothering 6 marans chicks that are 3 days old now. She is doing a fine job, but the chicks are getting seriously stuck to her underside silkie feathers. I found one attached to her that was dead and I've now had to cut with a pair of scissors to separate 3 of them that thankfully made it. Has anyone else had this problem and has a solution??

I'm sorry this has happened for you. I've had it happen a couple times too. One silkie hen in particular was a nervous type when I would go in the pen and she trampled chicks repeatedly. I finally took her chicks when she hatched them and raised them in the brooder. For other silkie mamma's, I would cut back their foot feathering and use clean fluffy bedding in the pen such as small flake shavings. It often comes down to the hen and how busy she is or how adapt she is at sitting with those babies for more than a day or two. The hens that like to "sit" on the chicks had a higher rate of live chicks. The nervous busy mothers had a higher rate of mortality. Sadly, we only learn this about our broody hens by letting them get experience. When I'm hatching valuable eggs from selective breeders, I always put them in the incubator. Keep a good journal on your flock and make a notation about this hen. Experienced hens are careful where they step. Inexperienced hens are sometime clueless. Hens that are repeat offenders do not get the opportunity again.

 

[LisaLouHoo]

I'm sorry this has happened for you. I've had it happen a couple times too. One silkie hen in particular was a nervous type when I would go in the pen and she trampled chicks repeatedly. I finally took her chicks when she hatched them and raised them in the brooder. For other silkie mamma's, I would cut back their foot feathering and use clean fluffy bedding in the pen such as small flake shavings. It often comes down to the hen and how busy she is or how adapt she is at sitting with those babies for more than a day or two. The hens that like to "sit" on the chicks had a higher rate of live chicks. The nervous busy mothers had a higher rate of mortality. Sadly, we only learn this about our broody hens by letting them get experience. When I'm hatching valuable eggs from selective breeders,  I always put them in the incubator. Keep a good journal on your flock and make a notation about this hen. Experienced hens are careful where they step. Inexperienced hens are sometime clueless. Hens that are repeat offenders do not get the opportunity again.

She's a great sitter. In fact, she had them all tucked underneath her and at the last minute, I decided to check under her to make sure all was well. That's when I found the dead one that somehow her silkie feathers were stuck to the little chicks neck like glue!!! Now I've been checking underneath her every time I go to the barn. I've found that it has happened several times. I just wondered if anyone had used something...like talcum powder, etc.

 

[MumsyIII]

k

Blue chick two weeks old.



Blue and Splash week old.



Blue two weeks.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

You might take the chicks and pop them into a brooder, and give your Silkie mom a quick bath on her underside and then blow dry her. When your done, return everyone to where they were.

I've noticed some of my hens keep some left over hatching gunk on the chests and bellies, and I've had a few chicks get hanged in the feathers that stick together. A quick bath, and it doesn't happen again. Sometimes its just not their fault, I've had it happen to some of my best brood hens.

 

[rainbowhatchery]

I love silkies, those are gorgeous.

 

[sljack2006]

I just purchased three splash silkies (*8 weeks old) but only plan to keep 2. Which 2 should I keep? Thank you

 

[LisaLouHoo]

You might take the chicks and pop them into a brooder, and give your Silkie mom a quick bath on her underside and then blow dry her. When your done, return everyone to where they were.

I've noticed some of my hens keep some left over hatching gunk on the chests and bellies, and I've had a few chicks get hanged in the feathers that stick together. A quick bath, and it doesn't happen again. Sometimes its just not their fault, I've had it happen to some of my best brood hens.

Thank you! I think you're right, that must be the stuff that was like glue. She could use a bath, too.

 

[MumsyIII]

Blue juveniles growing out.



Hatched mid April.