Are Silkies usually helpless?

[sparkles2307]

We have a Silkie that's about 6 mo old. She's been in with a pen of 4 month olds since they were babies. I turned everyone out to free range 3 days ago. I have been watching her, and I'm aware that because of the poof on top of the head its harder for them to see things right away, so I expected her to be slower than the others, but she seems to be completely helpless altogether. She just cowers in the corner all day and shies away from the rest of the flock. I really dont want to have one pen chicken who I have to take care of seperately from everyone else, is there hope for a free-range Silkie or no?

 

[Ms Ellen]

Only my non bearded rooster will free range, then mostly just to chase the standard hens. My hens are all bearded, some vaulted, and they will NOT free range. Will not go out the door of the pen and if placed out will just stay in one place or go back in the pen. I saw a video on here though of someone with free range silkies.

 

[ChickenChik]

We have 8 silkies and they all free range. They also will walk up and down the ramp to go in or out of their coop all the time. No problems. Have you introduced a new bird or are there other chickens about the same age? If you think it is the feathers you can always trim it around her face.

 

[stampntam]

I have four silkies and they free range, now the two roos are always out but sometimes the two girls just stay in the pen all day. they are only about 13 weeks old but have been out free ranging for some time. The girls sometimes get a little lost and it takes them a little while to figure out how to get back to the run but they usually always go back.

 

[Keri78]

give her time to mature. Some of my girls( especially) remained VERY timid....and did the whole "cowering in the corner deal" until they were of laying age. You may want to get another silkie for company for her....my silkies & sizzles free range with the whole flock but prefer to hang with each other.

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I used to have a pair of roos who free ranged with my standards just fine....except the white one got eaten by a hawk! And the black one... well, lets just say he's the most accident prone bird I ever did meet. As far as I know he s still alive and happy in his new home. All in all, I would say even though mine did free range, they were ratehr helpless.

 

[Neilette]

I have two free-ranging Showgirl Silkies. I don't know if the "Turken blood" makes them more bold, but they have had no problems out in the yard. One, a cockerel, is top chicken! The other, a young pullet (

) had been caged all her life until 12 weeks of age and happily trotted around the yard on the first day out of the run (4 days locked in to "home" all new chickens). Yeah, they're not the brightest chickens in the world...

But that doesn't seem to slow them down!

ETA: Oh, and one Silkie mix who had been free-ranging in the yard of the woman I bought her from, and is one of the boldest in the bunch.

Maybe she had a close-encounter predator experience? Is she getting picked on? Have you tried throwing scratch or other treats out in the grass?