The arm will hold her, while the hand holding her legs will keep the legs from raking you. Hold onto her legs with that one hand as you sort of tuck her under the arm of at hand. Press her back against your chest with one hand, then use the other to slot a finger on either side of her legs. Stand beside the chicken and place one palm on each side of the chicken's body. Only do this with tame chickens at first to get used to it. Question: What is the best way for children to hold chickens?Īnswer: It is best to hand the chicken to the children, as picking them up can startle them and is a better job for adults who can know where to grab and when to let go. Just remember, usually chicken genders are about 50-50, so if you have four chickens, probably two are pullets and two are cockerels. Males tend to get a comb earlier and be a little more aggressive, but since even adult Silkies don't exhibit those traits as much as other chicken breeds, it can be hard to notice. You might not notice much difference for several months. Male and female Silkies tend to look very much alike far longer than other breeds of chickens. In other breeds the sexual characteristics are more muted and hard to notice. Some people can look at the wing feathers in newborn chicks and use those to determine male and female. Some breeds of chickens are sex-link, which means the males and females look different from birth.
Question: At what age can you start to determine the sex of a chick? What characteristics do you look for?Īnswer: It depends on the breed. Question: How long do silkie chickens live?Īnswer: Most silkie chickens live 7-9 years, but they sometimes live longer with extra care. Many times chickens are able to start moving over time as their bodies do a good job at recovering. But if you are unable to do so ensure she keeps eating and drinking well since not being able to get to their food and water is usually what ends up killing them and more water may help flush potentially-paralyzing bacteria from their systems. It is most often evident when the chicken has a twisted neck and a low-hanging head. There's also something called Marek's Disease that causes balance loss and paralysis. This means that if they get pecked in the head it can cause them to have enough damage that they lose their balance or can't stand. With their vaulted skulls, Silkies have exceptionally delicate heads. Question: What would cause a 9-month-old silkie chicken to suddenly not be able to walk or stand? It eats and drinks and doesn't have diarrhea.Īnswer: There are numerous reasons your chicken might be unable to stand or walk. The average over the year (with heat/light during the winter) would probably be about 15 eggs a month. During these times they'll likely lay about 20 eggs a month depending on the hen, her genetics, and whether she is happy or stressed by heat. Question: How many eggs do silkies lay each month?Īnswer: Silkies, like other chickens, tend to lay more during spring and summer. It is not uncommon for Silkies to have this happen, but luckily chickens have great recuperating powers, and if helped to eat and drink, eventually they will usually recover. When a Silkie is pecked at the right spot on its head, it can cause brain damage, leaving the Silkie unsteady, off-balance, walking in circles, or with its head cocked to the side. Chickens peck each other, and as we all know, pecks can hurt and draw blood. This gives them a more beautiful crest, but can also be a source of danger. Their skull projects upward instead of being as rounded as most animals' skulls. Question: What are the causes of vestibular disease in Silkie chickens?Īnswer: Silkies have a unique skull structure. Question: I brought home a new silkie rooster and two silkie chickens and put them in my coop.
Another possible cause for not finding eggs is that chickens are excellent at hiding eggs, so it's not uncommon to think they aren't laying, but really there's just a pile of them somewhere unexpected. Other stressors, such as nearby predators will as well. Also, make sure there is always plenty of food as shortages can also impact egg-laying. You can make your chickens think it is spring all year long and encourage egg-laying by providing supplemental light to increase the "daylight" to 12 hours a day. This can be a problem for us if we get new chicks in the spring and then autumn comes and makes them not lay just when they were about to start. Nature makes chickens lay more in the spring and less in the heat of summer or the cold of winter. Answer: Silkies usually start laying around 6 months, but all egg laying is influenced by the seasons.
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