Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[Hinotori]

The evil things will go stand on their treadle feeder step when the birds manage to get in. Then they wait until the little bird takes the bait and flies down to grab food. Silkie then jumps off the treadle.

I had weights on the lids that silkies can just open because of too intelligent rats in the past. Lids really slam closed. Kills any small bird that's taking food.

They don't do it to their chicks. There is always an adult waiting on the chicks. I have to remove the treadle feeders because chicks have gotten stuck inside when feed gets low enough they climbed into the back and couldn't figure out how to get out

 

[RememberTheWay]

Sometimes you get smart boys who romance them from the start. I have a romeo like that in one pen. He's also the one who tried to feed chicks as a teenager, though, so maybe he was just an old reincarnated rooster

I have a few like this now. Most are bantam Cochins though. Really love how some of my bantam breed roosters are with the ladies

 

[CSolis]

I drove to Prattville AL today to deliver 1 hen (black) and 15 chicks. I no sooner got there and a neighbor was at the gate.. She bought 5 babies! What doesn't sell today go to the Prattville swap tomorrow with Carlos. In exchange for the black hen I brought back 'Nube' a white NN silkie.
So, speaking of ROOSTERS, I laughed my butt off when I introduced her to Lil Bear when I got home. He's been moping about next to the nest where his two wives are currently sitting. Watch what happen!

He's such a gentleman.

 

[CSolis]

Anddddddd his first offspring sprung today in the hatcheroo! Some from a blue hen and some from a hen with similar coloring as his.

 

[NagemTX]

Responded to a question in the byc facebook group about ugly coops. I don't think mine is very pretty.

This is my set up. All 5 pens open to a courtyard for safe "free ranging". It's on the west side so the walls stay tarped year round as I found it keeps it cooler inside.
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Back of pens. Faces east. Tarps off for summer cool.
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Inside down pens. 4x4 are support insurance for extra heavy snow. They are 10 foot so the extra height helps keep it cooler in summer. Doesn't cause any issues in winter because I tarp and it stays noticeably warmer inside.
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Each pen has a house for the group to sleep in. They are all raised up now to deter rodents from moving in out of the rain. My silkies kill rodents and they can walk under the houses.
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I like it. Its a bit better than mine but I'm currently working on more pens and more predator proofing because of all the influx of coons and opossums.

 

[chickengr]

another black silkie hatched the first one is 4 days old. the first broody has 3 dutch bantam chicks and 1 black silkie. she rejected a dutch bantam chick that hatched yesterday so I must make a cage for the other broody with 2 chicks and hope that the other 2 dutch bantam eggs hatch. I have other 2 dutch bantam broodies as well.