The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

[Ashdoes]

Aoxa is right, the Silkies really do forage well. They got right to it along with the big girls. The Cochins on the other hand, sat in the run and prayed to the food gods for twenty minutes. They're finally out and looking for their own food.

 

[aoxa]

To camoflage the diapers? Sorry, Aoxa, couldn't resist. You DO do a good job promoting them. Might possibly have to look further into them. I've heard they don't do too well in high humidity heat?

The humidity isn't a big deal. Being wet AND freezing temps are another story. They get wet much quicker than smooth feathered birds. They tend to stand right out in the rain and soak it up.

I love the cute Silkies look. I am of the old school, yet for some reason I do not associate a Silkie with a chicken. I think I might have a problem will harvesting a Silkie. The thought of butchering all that cuteness and fluff does not set right. I know I am weird.

 

You're not alone. I could not process a silkie to eat. That black skin and bones would freak me out

You'd be surprised with how many 'old school' men keep these birds. The first silkie I bought came from a man that is 76 years old. His only named chicken was a silkie. I stole that rooster from him after pestering him about it for a while. George now lives with us - and is one weird looking chicken.

 

[Leahs Mom]

As I think sleep is a very important part in any youngen's development, I've been trying to figure out how to brood without using the "light". This sounds like something I'll experiment with.

Would they be smart enough to "find" the tent without a light and without "coos" from mama?

I'm not sure, but I don't think that the mat that Delisha used is flexible - I think it's more rigid.

If I were going to use a heating pad that was more flexible, I'd want to find some kind of way to regulate heat. Those things can get pretty hot and with that kind of set-up, you'd either be in or out - no in between.

I have also been racking my brains trying to figure out a way to heat without light.
I actually purchased one of the ceramic heat elements that go in a light bulb fixture and are most commonly used for reptiles. It was 250 Watt. I tested it with a thermometer under it and it won't do what is needed. Inside a house in which the temperatures were in the 70's, I had to keep it about 3" from the floor to get a high enough AIR temp. Problem with that is those elements are VERY HOT to touch and would easily burn anything that touches it - especially little chicks - so they're out of the running...especially since I'm brooding outside in the hen house in pretty low room temperature!

 

[aoxa]

This broody mama raised 21 layers along side a barred rock this summer. Only one perished.. Because it was drinking out of the duck pool, was pulled in and drowned. That was not a pretty sight to come home to. Anyway.. No one messed with these chicks! The silkie would pull tail feathers out of any chicken who tried. They free ranged (the chicks) from a few days old. They're now 16 weeks.

All of my roosters have to be good with chicks as well. Every single rooster I have (and I have around 15 roosters), are good with them. Feeding them, etc. My silkie roosters even keep chicks warm Also note that that pen in back was my grow out pen. I had put holes all through the bottom of it so the chicks could go in and out, but the older birds couldn't get in. I took it down.

 

[Mumsy]

I love the cute Silkies look. I am of the old school, yet for some reason I do not associate a Silkie with a chicken. I think I might have a problem will harvesting a Silkie. The thought of butchering all that cuteness and fluff does not set right. I know I am weird.

The only time I culled Silkie females was for health or laying problems. I sold those that would not make the cut for the breeding pen as pet quality or broodie hens. I always had a waiting list for people wanting to purchase them. Like all poultry breeding, too many cockerels was the on going issue. Most Silkies I put in the stock pot were males that had too much red in their comb, bad temperaments in the flock or towards people, and incorrect toe placement on those funky five toed feet. These traits with Silkies are highly inheritable.
Breeding and raising poultry in the USA is fairly new compared to Asia. The Adam and Eve of all domestic chickens originated in the Philippines. The Jungle Fowl. Old school takes on a whole other meaning when you look at where chickens first came from. In 1996 when I first got started with them most people in my area had never seen one before. Now they are one of the most popular back yard breeds in many communities around the world. Finding true standard bred breeding quality birds has become much more difficult.

Your not weird delisha. It takes strength of fortitude to take the life of a bird that most often can't even see you. My children loved their Silkies but they also were not shielded from where the chicken soup came from.
My kids are all grown and married now. One of them keeps a flock of LF hens for eggs. All the kids still talk about the Silkies they had growing up. Those were the birds they remember most fondly. I raised more than 25 breeds of purebred poultry over the years. Those Silkies are great little chickens.

 

[aoxa]

The only time I culled  Silkie females was for health or laying problems. I sold those that would not make the cut for the breeding pen as pet quality or broodie hens. I always had a waiting list for people wanting to purchase them. Like all poultry breeding, too many cockerels was the on going issue. Most Silkies I put in the stock pot were males that had too much red in their comb, bad temperaments in the flock or towards people, and incorrect toe placement on those funky five toed feet. These traits with Silkies are highly inheritable.
Breeding and raising poultry in the USA is fairly new compared to Asia. The Adam and Eve of all domestic chickens originated in the Philippines. The Jungle Fowl. Old school takes on a whole other meaning when you look at where chickens  first came from. In 1996 when I first got started with them most people in my area had never seen one before. Now they are one of the most popular back yard breeds in many communities around the world. Finding true standard bred breeding quality birds has become much more difficult.

Your not weird delisha. It takes  strength of fortitude to take the life of a bird that most often can't even see you. My children loved their Silkies but they also were not shielded from where the chicken soup came from.
My kids are all grown and married now. One of them keeps a flock of LF hens for eggs. All the kids still talk about the Silkies they had growing up. Those were the birds they remember most fondly. I raised more than 25 breeds of purebred poultry over the years. Those Silkies are great little chickens.

I have not had a single ill tempered male. I'll count my blessings then! Also toes aren't a huge deal now-a-days. As long as they have 5, toes are overlooked if the bird is otherwise a great specimen. Now it's all about wings. The wings have a lot of issues in the US. So many people have split wing issues.

 

[Mumsy]

I have not had a single ill tempered male. I'll count my blessings then! Also toes aren't a huge deal now-a-days. As long as they have 5, toes are overlooked if the bird is otherwise a great specimen. Now it's all about wings. The wings have a lot of issues in the US. So many people have split wing issues.

Out of dozens of Silkie cocks in all color categories, I remember one real bad pure bred black one. He was mean to everything and every one. A real bad egg. I never bred from him. He didn't make it to 10 months of age before he was permanently removed. Out of two hundred Silkies I raised, I never had a bad wing. In the 90's it was all about the feet. In my area anyway. Everything changes over time. I always hold out hope for change for the better.

 

[just me]

I'm not sure, but I don't think that the mat that Delisha used is flexible - I think it's more rigid.

If I were going to use a heating pad that was more flexible, I'd want to find some kind of way to regulate heat. Those things can get pretty hot and with that kind of set-up, you'd either be in or out - no in between.

I have also been racking my brains trying to figure out a way to heat without light.
I actually purchased one of the ceramic heat elements that go in a light bulb fixture and are most commonly used for reptiles. It was 250 Watt. I tested it with a thermometer under it and it won't do what is needed. Inside a house in which the temperatures were in the 70's, I had to keep it about 3" from the floor to get a high enough AIR temp. Thanks for not letting me waist my time and money on this! Problem with that is those elements are VERY HOT to touch and would easily burn anything that touches it - especially little chicks - so they're out of the running...especially since I'm brooding outside in the hen house in pretty low room temperature!

I'm planning on brooding outside in the hen house too. That's what I did with the ones I have now. I just felt like it was best to put them where they were going to live from the get go. I'm not going to get any more chicks until this spring, hoping it'll be easier to keep the little ones warm. It would be GREAT if I ended up with a broody, but since I've only got 6 pulletts, I kinda doubt it. Meantime, I've got all winter to research and experiment. HOPEFULLY, I'll have come up with something by spring!!

 

[aoxa]

Out of dozens of Silkie cocks in all color categories, I remember one real bad pure bred black one. He was mean to everything and every one. A real bad egg. I never bred from him. He didn't make it to 10 months of age before he was permanently removed. Out of two hundred Silkies I raised, I never had a bad wing. In the 90's it was all about the feet. In my area anyway. Everything changes over time. I always hold out hope for change for the better.

Feet are easier to improve. Split wing is a disqualification in shows in any breed, and is genetic - so there are a lot of split wing silkies out there. I have never had one - but it's more prominant in the US. Here in Canada our wing issues tend to be weak wing. Still only had maybe 1 that has weak wing. I have one girl with an extra toenail, but her type is too good to kick her out. She just happens to be my favourite one for type too.

I'm seriously missing the leaves now

 

[Mumsy]

She just happens to be my favourite one for type too.

I can see why! She's a beauty!