Calling those with silkie knowledge

[Jenilynchickmom]

Well in the fall i acquired 2 silkies I was unable to get my 6 hens to accept. They have been in a pen in my garage all winter and now it’s time to get them outside. I’m not a builder and I don’t have access to one so I’ll be buying a prefab dog kennel and covering it in wire and obviously making it safe. I’m finding varying info online and I’m struggling. My coop for them is a 3x4 dog house I’ve acquired (see photo) and the run I have is 4x8. Will that be enough for these two? And possibly to add 2-3 more?

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Well in the fall i acquired 2 silkies I was unable to get my 6 hens to accept. They have been in a pen in my garage all winter and now it’s time to get them outside. I’m not a builder and I don’t have access to one so I’ll be buying a prefab dog kennel and covering it in wire and obviously making it safe. I’m finding varying info online and I’m struggling. My coop for them is a 3x4 dog house I’ve acquired (see photo) and the run I have is 4x8. Will that be enough for these two? And possibly to add 2-3 more?

Cute dog house! Hopefully not too hard to clean. I would recommend max 3 bantam sized birds in the space you are thinking. Is the house going to be inside the run, or will you be attaching it? If it is inside the run it will take away quite a bit of the run space. Contrary to popular opinion, silkies enjoy a bit more room then people think. I think it would be plenty big for the two. There is room for 4 in the coop, but the run may be an issue depending on how the coop is placed.

 

[Jenilynchickmom]

Cute dog house! Hopefully not too hard to clean. I would recommend max 3 bantam sized birds in the space you are thinking. Is the house going to be inside the run, or will you be attaching it? If it is inside the run it will take away quite a bit of the run space. Contrary to popular opinion, silkies enjoy a bit more room then people think. I think it would be plenty big for the two. There is room for 4 in the coop, but the run may be an issue depending on how the coop is placed.

It will be outside with a hole cut we were able to get a friend to help us with the dog house, he put it on 24 inch legs for me and has made the top open so I can clean and get eggs etc as well as lineloem flooring.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Great friend to have!
In that case, 4 should fit nicely. 3 sq. ft. each in the coop and 8 sq. ft. each in the run.

 

[Jenilynchickmom]

I’ve been lucky so far that they haven’t fought at all for both being roosters. The black one is very tiny and hasn’t grown at all I’m thinking he’s a runt as he is slightly deformed. But man they are so sweet

 

[Jenilynchickmom]

Great friend to have!
In that case, 4 should fit nicely. 3 sq. ft. each in the coop and 8 sq. ft. each in the run.

Thank you! I’ve posted the boys above.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

View attachment 2585906View attachment 2585907
I’ve been lucky so far that they haven’t fought at all for both being roosters. The black one is very tiny and hasn’t grown at all I’m thinking he’s a runt as he is slightly deformed. But man they are so sweet

They are mixes, but so adorable.
Second one is a frizzle.
First one could just be on the smaller side.
I have one silkie rooster. He barely weighs 3 lbs. He is a bit wary of me, but he lets my 12 y/o daughter carry him around like a baby.

 

[Jenilynchickmom]

They are mixes, but so adorable.
Second one is a frizzle.
First one could just be on the smaller side.
I have one silkie rooster. He barely weighs 3 lbs. He is a bit wary of me, but he lets my 12 y/o daughter carry him around like a baby.

Oh! See that’s good to know, I didn’t much about them other then I was told “silkie roosters” what would they be mixed with? Thanks for your help! I would be surprised if Tito is 1.5 pounds. Hes a tiny boy but a little snuggle boy.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Hard to say, could be cochin. They are beautiful! Tito has smooth feathers. He is likely half silkie, the silkie feathers are recessive, so any silkie mixed with a smooth feathered bird will have smooth feathers, but carry the gene for the silkie feathers.
The second one has frizzled feathers, which is seen in cochins, but can also be seen in other birds, such as polish.
I have several silkies and a few silkie crosses. Sweet birds!