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Need advice regarding my 5 day old Silkie chicken?
I bought 2 silkie (think crossed with bantam) chicks for my kids - 1 is doing well, but the other is smaller and it seems to have trouble with poos. The poos are quite loose and sticky and seem to get caught on its feathers. I realise that bird poos are loose naturally, but it seems a bit different to the other chick. Overnight, and if I am unable to check regularly, the poos harden and stick to the chicken - this makes it difficult and obviously a little stressful for the chick when I try to clean. I am not sure if I am worrying too much (my first time with baby chicks) as it seems to be happy enough otherwise. Is quite a lot smaller than the other chick though - not thriving or just a smaller chick? Should I be worrying? I have been feeding a pullet grower mix with some crushed oats and pumpkin seed - I have also been adding a little bit of seed to the mix. Thanks to anyone who can advise me.
2 Answers
- Charles D. M.Lv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
I have always force fed my chicks 3 to 5 tiny stones [BB sized] to be certain they had grits for their gizzard. When I had a hen care for them and they were lose out doors I let them find their grits. Next I give them crumble and then pellets. I give some scratch feed and wild bird seed mix and they can choose what they need. The "pasting-up" of feces on the but is usually a sign of stress and will occur when they are shipped to me. Keep it moist with warm water and scrape it off with a butter knife or like tool. Give water and feed 24/7 so you don't need to get up early and see what they need. Stress is also form crowding, too cool or too warm, hungry and thirsty. At 5 days old they should be in 95 F brooder and reduce it 5 degrees each week till you are at 70 F.
- Anonymous5 years ago
I THINK if you got one of the hens to go broody, and then timed things right, you might just get her to think she hatched it herself. I've introduced guineas to my flock (chickens 8 weeks old very large breeds, guineas 4 weeks old), and I've just reintroduced a rooster that had been isolated for about a month due to illness (prolapsed rectum). In both cases, I put the 'introducee' in a pen-within-a-pen for about a week, to allow the other birds to see and sort of get used to the 'newcomer.' After remoiving the pen, in both cases, there was a little pecking, but after a few hours, things had settled down, and after about 24 hours, I did not see any conflict at all.