Silkie chicks are undeniably adorable. From their round cotton ball-like heads and cute pleading eyes, they are nothing short of irresistible. I am strong believer that these innocent creatures are some of the sweetest baby animals a person can have. However, they do require attentive care. Depending upon the breed and age of the chicks purchased, they will require a heat lamp for warmth. They also will need a formulated chick food and water. After that you must make sure to have a secure container lined with newspaper and a soft bedding (pine shaving or orchard grass work great). Once these few materials are set up you have the perfect chick brooder. The precious creatures should love their new homes and their new owners too!
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Roosters are often portrayed as mean heartless animals. Despite this fact mostly being true, there is an element to consider when evaluating these creatures. A rooster's world revolves around his ladies. Day and night he is their only protection, he is absolutely devoted to their service. In a heart beat they would give themselves up in order to secure a hen's safety. With all this responsibility it is no wonder these hardworking men are so grumpy! Whenever a rooster is skeptical, or aggressive to a person it is simply their way of testing you. They are so paranoid about keeping their ladies safe, they see all things otherwise as threats. However, with time and patience roosters will establish a mutual trust with their owners. Mr. Macho Man is an example of this relationship. I have cared and loved this little puff ball since he was just three days old, and to this day I feel he remembers and respects this fact. Every evening, when I go out to greet the flock he is always waiting for me, excited to see his Mommy. But, like every person, he has his cranky days too. Death is a natural part of life. Despite all the odds we try to defy, the end result is inevitable. We all die. But no matter how old you are death is always tragic. Some of my most treasured pets, and relatives live up in that world above, and sadly now Cotton has meandered her way up there too. On February 5, 2018 Cotton was struggling to breathe and unable to walk, after hours of receiving help, she gave up her fight. Cotton was just a few days away from her second birthday. Our world has lost a sweet, silly, and gorgeous silkie that will forever leave a impact on our hearts. With all my might I hope she is in a place far better than this beautiful Earth; a place she can scratch in the dewy grass all day, take long dust baths in the warm sunshine, and sleep in a nest surrounded with the softest hay a chick could dream of. I hope she enjoyed her life as much as I did her company. So with a heavy heart, I solemnly say goodbye to dear Cotton. I'm a strong believer in letting nature take it's course. However when it comes to the subject matter of hatching my silkie chickens, I strongly beg to differ. You see when a hen decides to sit on eggs, she will start to rarely eat and lose weight along with feathers as a result. By the end of the 21 days the bird is half starved, and absolutely a mess. Not to mention there is a very high percentage rate that the chicks will not hatch, which leads to a very defeated and sad hen. Luckily, thanks to the wonders of modern day technology, there is another method oppose to letting my sweet silkies suffer; The Incubator. Using electricity an incubator will turn your eggs automatically as well as controlling humidity and within the 21 days you will have fluffy bundles of fluff (after they dry) cracking their shells. It is truly a miracle to witness. Despite my obvious preference to incubating, Holly and Janice are currently broody and are attempting to hatch some eggs. It will be about twenty one days till they give up, so in the meantime all I can do is take them out of the nest and encourage the hens to scratch and eat in the soft grass. Having a pet is a lot of responsibility. You have to feed them, groom them, clean up after them, and pay tons of attention to them, but in the end all these set backs are minor and the truth at hand is silkie chickens are truly amazing animals that will no doubt impact your life forever. Having a lifelong companion is something every human being craves and to be able to spend it with such blissful creatures is absolutely a gift. In all my years I have never come across such a unique species. They are practically walking cotton balls and are so sweet they instantly melt your heart. Silkie chickens are pets that provide love, affection, beauty, and humor to your days. If nothing else this poultry is a forever friend that will be with you in any time of need. No body likes to feel dirty. From humans to dogs we all share a common thought in being clean just feels good! And chickens are no exception. However, they keep themselves clean with a method much different from using shampoo and soap. They use dirt! How ironic, isn't it? The very thing that is associated with the antonym of clean is what a chickens uses to sanitize themselves. You see, the dirt helps prevent and get rid of unwanted parasites. Plus they absolutely loves taking baths. At first you will think your bird has twisted into a forever knotted pretzel, but at las' no need to fear this is simply what any ordinary chicken does. When raising chickens having an area for dust baths is essential for any flock. If dirt is not easily accessed in your coop or run, simply dig a hole or fill up a container (tire, whiskey barrel, galvanized tub, ect..) with dirt. Then voila, your chickens will get to experience the amazement's of being clean. It had been like any Christmas morning. At the crack of dawn, I had raced down our carpeted stairs uncontainably ecstatic for this ceaselessly magical day. As my parents and older sister slowly meandered their way into the living room, I already was peering into the large mountain of gifts that were towering in front of me. "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" I exclaimed. Peep, peep, I suddenly heard coming from our downstairs bathroom. Baffled, I followed the noise. Peep, peep the sound said again. Cautiously, I opened the door, there in a bright blue container sat the cutest and fluffiest chick you had ever seen. I nearly past out from joy. "It's a silkie!" I stated. For months, I had been absolutely obsessed with silkies. Everyday I would spend hours googling images and reading about them. Ironically, I do not even remembered how I found out about this adorable poultry, only just how devoted I was to learning about them. I was seven and we had four hens at the time: two Plymouth barred rocks (Shadow and Violet), one buff orpington (Lacey), and a lavender orpington (Bella). The little chick suddenly looked up at me, "I'm going to name you Lucy," I decided as I was transfixed on the puffy miracle. As the days rolled by Lucy and I practically became inseparable. From morning to dusk we did everything together. The day would start with me waking up and checking on Lucy, typically she would be up and ready for a day full of adventure. After both having breakfast we would go outside and I would let her walk around our tiny suburban yard. Finally, we would lay on the couch and cuddle, usually just watching TV. Lucy was the sweetest chick ever. Whenever she would see me she would run over and try to jump in my arms. However, like all things Lucy eventually started to grow up and was forced to leave the comfort of her neat cage inside, to live with the other hens. Like any overprotective mother, I was highly against my baby being forced to live outside in our cruel world with basically strangers. The idea was heartbreaking, but I knew I could not shelter Lucy forever. So very reluctantly I introduced my silkie to Shadow, Violet, Lacey, and Bella. As soon as I placed her down, they all suddenly charged towards my precious Lucy. Violet (the leader) was quickly trying to go for the kill. Lucy petrified skittered towards a little niche on the side of our house that was just big enough for her. Stunned I jumped into action and scooped up my baby. "That's kind of weird," I had thought to myself little did I know it would be the first sign of many. A few days later I stared to notice a huge black comb growing on Lucy's face, and then her voice suddenly deepend. Then finally one early morning nestled inside my bed I heard, COCKOODOODLEDOOO!! Lucy was a rooster. Our small suburban community had a strict policy about keeping chickens: six hens as the maximum and absolutely NO ROOSTERS. Sadly we could not keep Lucy. Nearly about six months after I had discovered my fluffy white angel in our downstairs bathroom we were pulling up in the driveway of a farm. Clinging to my side as we got out of the car Lucy stared up at me with his huge brown eyes. I couldn't bear to look at him. As my parents greeted the owners of the property, I kept reminiscing over the past few months. I did not want to be here, with all my might I wanted to run far far away from this place with my Lucy. But I didn't, instead as we entered the new pasture where my baby would live I gently gave him a big kiss and handed him to his new owner. I have not seen Lucy since. Despite the years that have gone by I continue to remember these treasured memories for no matter what Lucy will forever and always will be my first silkie chicken. Chickens are captivating creatures. Cloaked in feathers and petite beaks, they are fascinating in their looks alone. For around seven years, I have been caring for chickens and none are more unique then the silkie. They are considered "the cuddly teddy bears of the poultry world" and I could not agree with this statement more. Silkies are so sweet and fluffy it takes all your might to stop yourself from squeezing them! I currently have six hens and one rooster, each irresistibly huggable. However, the most charming thing about these birds is by far their personalities. Some can be shy, while others want nothing more then to be held in your arms. By each one being so incredibly unique it is quite fascinating to observe them when in a flock. There is always an obvious leader (typically the oldest), the protector (the rooster if present or most aggressive hen), and the outcast (the weakest hen in the flock). Seeing the complexity of their social structures also proves how highly intelligent these birds are. For days I could go on and on about the riveting aspects of silkie chickens, but the fact of the matter is: silkie chickens are nothing short of sensational animals with very individualistic personalities, they are smart and absolutely breathtaking. With all these reasons and more, I continue to grow constantly in love with these birds. |
Hi! I'm LilyI'm a dynamic and inquisitive person, that is a passionate chicken enthusiast.
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