Are Silkies, Well, Strange?

[Delilah1337]

This is my first year with Silkies and I must say I am addicted! I named my white hen Puff Puff because when I got her she made friends with my older hen named Cocoa, I thought Cocoa and Puff Puff was a pretty cute mix of names. Puff just started letting my pick her up and love on her, as soon as she sees or hears me she comes running and won't leave me alone until I give her my undivided attention

She sure does melt my heart. I remember coming home late on night in the rain and when I went to check on the girls Puffy was missing. I ran frantically through the yard trying to find her because she is rarely seen without her Cocoa, as I was going in to get a better flashlight I noticed she was perched by herself on an old pallet soaking wet. I took her in my sweater, got her all dried off and warm then stuck her next to Cocoa. She hasnt perched anywhere alone since then luckily.

I also have a Black Roo and he just started crowing, if thats what you could even call it. He sounds like a sick elephant with a really deep voice. When I first heard him I honestly couldnt have told you it was a chicken if you paid me $100 lol. He doesnt quite seem to know what to do with the ladies either. I have a little D' Anver Roo that is all business when it comes to the hens, I think the Silkie is trying to learn from the D' Anver but so far all he does is grab the girls by the neck until they fight him off.

 

[Brian]

Silkies come bearded and non-bearded (clean faced). My silkie is non-bearded, and has an unconstructed view of the world, and still she exhibits poor vision behavior.

 

[flower]

Oh, yes...ordered a single straight run silkie chick in the blue color. She arrived cold, and separate from the others in the box. She was close to death, but putting her under a lamp saved her. I have several tame chickens, several of which jump in my lap for attention, but I've never encountered a chicken that is so easily handled or so novel in its behavior. I think I will always have a silkie from here on. I'm already planning my next one!

Do the silkie roosters crow like other breeds, or are they quiet?

Silkies do crow. But all sikies are late to develop. Until the females are ready to sqwat, they will be resistent to being mated. I think that it is a good plan to have a few of each breed that you want to keep. I have a mixed flock and notice that birds favor those of their own breed. The also make friends with other birds and seem to keep company with certain "friends".

 

[Debbi]

Silkies do crow. But all sikies are late to develop. Until the females are ready to sqwat, they will be resistent to being mated. I think that it is a good plan to have a few of each breed that you want to keep. I have a mixed flock and notice that birds favor those of their own breed. The also make friends with other birds and seem to keep company with certain "friends".

Not true, all of my Silkie boys here start to crow at around 8 weeks old. They start chasing the girls at around 4.5 - 5 months old, and my pullets have all started laying at about 5 months. Different lines and combos of lines will mature differently.

 

[aoxa]

Not true, all of my Silkie boys here start to crow at around 8 weeks old. They start chasing the girls at around 4.5 - 5 months old, and my pullets have all started laying at about 5 months. Different lines and combos of lines will mature differently. 

I would say MOST are slow to develop though. Never had one lay early, and my roos don't crow until they are close to 6 months old. I have 2 different blood lines.

I have a frizzled silkie that may crow once a month at best. His previous owners never heard him crow at all.

OP: Silkies are indeed special! I have one hen that is my go-to bird if a visitor has never held a chicken before. She is such a doll!

 

[stefzbiz]

I had a roo for a short time... he did crow. not as loud.. but it was the strangest sound ever.... like a goose with a clothes pin on its nose beep-ing.... and he cocked his head sideways kinda like fog horn leg horn listening to something.... his name was Quack. He moved out to a bigger yard.

 

[Brian]

I had a roo for a short time... he did crow. not as loud.. but it was the strangest sound ever.... like a goose with a clothes pin on its nose beep-ing.... and he cocked his head sideways kinda like fog horn leg horn listening to something.... his name was Quack. He moved out to a bigger yard.

You should hear my old english game bantam roo. His crow sounds like a tone-deaf Billy Barty attempting to sing with some bad emphysema. I suppose they can't all be Pavaroti.

 

[Debbi]

You should hear my old english game bantam roo. His crow sounds like a tone-deaf Billy Barty attempting to sing with some bad emphysema. I suppose they can't all be Pavaroti.

Billy Barty?? Boy, did you just give your age away!

I have one male that sounds like the end of the air being let out of a balloon. Big in the front, and wheezing in the end! But they are sooooo proud of themselves, they crow ALL DAY LONG!

 

[dl9976]

I have 7 silkies. That is totally normal...Silkies are just very laid back and easy going..they are the lap dog of the chicken world they say...I would feed her seperately from the rest when you are giving treats. I always hand feed mine so they get to eat first. Goodluck! Silkies are just the best !

 

[silkiemomma28]

My girls are slower to snap up than the boys but they (all but one can get to the worm). Now that my boys are at our friend/family farm, the girls are all fast on the extras except for that one little girl, buttercup. She is smaller than the others and the only buff among two larger white silkie girls. My buff boys were much bigger. I think silkes are so special but some are a little more special, like my buttercup and your little girl. My silkes climb the ladder (see my photos) just fine. All six bunked up together, it was crazy as they grew bigger. Now the three girls bunk up together in the house. They like the room with a garden view. lol