Week Old Silkie Question...My silkies dont like me! (PICS)

[Sultan obsessed]

 

[sky bird]

When I first got my silkie chicks, I handled them at like three or four times a day. My chickens started liking me at three months old and I took them outside (once they were one month old) every day and sat with them for about three hours. At one month when I put my hand in their brooder, they came to me fast because they knew I had food for them. But, when they were weeks old they were terrified of me still.

Just give them some time I guess. Handle them every single day, about twice or three times a day and if they started to jump out of your hand or move around to much I would put them back in their brooder.

You shouldn't take them out of their brooder away from their light if they are really young though. They need to stay warm, so if they are shaking or don't feel warm in your hand them put them back under the light.

Hope this helps, P.S: Your chicks are cute! What will you name them? ^.^

- Ashley

 

[Me & Jack]

I didn't read this whole thread, so maybe somebody has already said this, but I don't find Silkies all that "friendly". Docile, yes, more so than some of my other birds, but not more "friendly". Only rarely do I have a bird that doesn't mind being picked up or one that talks a lot to my shoes. But, generally, they aren't like cats, seeking affection. I know some people will say they've had exceptions to this, and that's okay, but I think it's misleading to tell people that Silkies like or want human affection and attention. The more you handle them the less skittish they'll be, but it doesn't mean they'll "love" you---unless you always come bearing treats. Lol

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I didn't read this whole thread, so maybe somebody has already said this, but I don't find Silkies all that "friendly". Docile, yes, more so than some of my other birds, but not more "friendly". Only rarely do I have a bird that doesn't mind being picked up or one that talks a lot to my shoes. But, generally, they aren't like cats, seeking affection. I know some people will say they've had exceptions to this, and that's okay, but I think it's misleading to tell people that Silkies like or want human affection and attention. The more you handle them the less skittish they'll be, but it doesn't mean they'll "love" you---unless you always come bearing treats. Lol

 

I agree. I have 5 Silkies, and only 1 of them willingly seeks me out. When this bird was an older chick it got a taste for shavings and caused itself to get blocked up. I had to take it out MANY times a day to remove any yuck that was keeping it from eliminating. This went on for weeks! It eventually gave up the shaving addiction, but it still loves me. I've always attributed its affection to me "saving" it everyday. If I hadn't worked so hard on this particular chick it surely would have died, so I like to think its grateful for my effort (thought its more likely because it just got handled more than others). Don't get me wrong, compared to other breeds my Silkies ARE calm and friendly, but if I ain't got treats or the feed bucket, they could simply care less about whether I exist or not (except for the dum dum who kept gobbling shavings, of course).

 

[mattfulleroc]

Handle them daily and talk to them alot Treats help but just letting them get to know you seems to work well also. But, just be prepared you could end up with silkies like this last bunch I got...


They still allow me to carry all 4 at once and they are almost 6 months old. They will all gather around my feet and I just reach down and tuck them all in...there they will stay and talk to me for as long as I wish. I wish the same for you and your chicks..everything except all all these are roos

Oh my goodness I accidentally linked to this thread when my mouse scrolled over the link on the righ-hand side of the screen but I am so happy it did...this is awesome!!! You are obviously a great chicken lady!!! My first chick just hatched about an hour ago and is drying off in the incubator. I promised my roommate I would not keep chickens as he doesn't like the idea of having them here in the city-especially since I have dogs and rabbits and a tortoise already running about...I have a friend who lives a few miles away on a farm waiting for them...gosh I hope I can change his mind and keep a few for pets!

 

[nobodyherebutuschickens]

I remember when I got my first fuzzybutts. I was so excited! I remember sitting out in the garage next to the brooder for hours at a time, singing to them, snuggling them, reading to them, or even just watching them play (and poop all over EVERYTHING. But it was cute poop, so it's ok.

). I treated them like they were my own babies, and after they got through their skittish phase and realized that I was the one that carried the corn, they would even follow me around. Of course, that was when they were a few months old. Now I have some that walk up to me and either hop on my shoulder or ask me to pet them. My RIR especially likes her bum feathers ruffled, lol. I miss those little babies.

 

[LeaShumaker]

My silkies did sort of the same thing but they also pecked at me. I just kept messing with them until they figured out that they either like me or don't get let out of the coop to free range!

 

[PuffPuff2116]

Hi ChickLVR,
i to was struggling when i got my first silkie. Everyday(or at least when i have time) i would go out their with my mom and picked her up. Oh yah btw her name is PuffPuff. i would make sure she had water and food and had enough warmth. it may not like being picked up everyday becuase silkies are very stuborn at times and dont like to be picked up everyday. so what i would do is go out there everyday and make sure she or it has enough water,food,and warmth. Here is a good idea:
M: Hold, Tuet, W:Hold, Thet, and so on and see if they get better with you. Also dont try to aproch them fast or else they will scury or even worse peck you. If you pick 2 up at the same time they might well less scared because they are with their siblings. Last season we got 4 ducks my silkie and 4 other chicks and it was very hard at first when they went in the box cause they were scared, it is fine but try to when you first get them to have them held individualy. Hope this helps

 

[Gromit99squi]

I didn't read this whole thread, so maybe somebody has already said this, but I don't find Silkies all that "friendly". Docile, yes, more so than some of my other birds, but not more "friendly". Only rarely do I have a bird that doesn't mind being picked up or one that talks a lot to my shoes. But, generally, they aren't like cats, seeking affection. I know some people will say they've had exceptions to this, and that's okay, but I think it's misleading to tell people that Silkies like or want human affection and attention. The more you handle them the less skittish they'll be, but it doesn't mean they'll "love" you---unless you always come bearing treats. Lol

I agree with you. Not about just the silkie breeds not being friendly but any chicken breed. What I mean is that it all depends how old they are when you get them, how much time you spend with them, how much you hand feed them, but most importantly it all depends on the individual bird. I have a silkie bantam hen I hand tamed from 2-3 weeks old who is now 9 months old. She will run away as soon as I walk in the chicken coop. I however had a Silkie X (Sooty), who would follow me every where, let me pick him up, let me pet him, he offered me food if I put some on the ground for him (i had to walk away before he would eat

) etc... So what I'm trying to say is you can't judge a chicken by the breed you must judge them by their individual actions.

 

[miss silky]

Hi, I've had lots of silkys, if they're young enough they should get used to you in a couple months, they learn ur food! I have a white male 6 months old just started crowing, if u know a good home( I can't have roosters) he lets me and my son hold him and he's friendly compared to stories I've heard! He pecks when he's hungry but that's it! And I hatched him! Hate to c him go!