Can silkies fly up on roost?

[diane3003]

I have a silkie rooster that's 13 weeks old who still won't fly up to the perch at night like all the rest of chickens. Can this breed fly up ever? I have to set him up there every night. He gets down on his own. Is he just lazy or scared? I never see him even practicing flopping wings etc.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They don't have much in the neighborhood of wings or flight feathers. They'll hop up on very low roosts but won't go onto a 4 or 6 foot roost like real chickens.

 

[diane3003]

I have one about 10-12 inches off ground close to another one that's about 2 foot away & the others hop or fly up to low one & then hop up to other one but silkie runs around underneath but won't do anything. I put a brick under but he's gotten on that brick only once. I was just curious if they fly. I guess I better get to building a ramp!

 

[donrae]

Mine get up on my 4 foot high shelf somehow.

 

[Michael OShay]

Technically Silkies can't fly, but they're great jumpers so they can get up onto roosts if they are not too high.

 

[diane3003]

Well my boyfriend made him a ramp today & I gotta say either he's still a very young rooster or not the brightest. Lol. Bless his heart. I had to put him on bottom of ramp & coddle him to top then he "flew off" & landed on side with a wing open. Scared me his wing could get broken. So I had to put him on the ramp two more times until they all got situated & went to bed. I guess he can't fly like others or can't navigate. I think he was a inside caged coddled baby when I got him...he's learned slot but so timid. Much more for him to learn.

 

[Violetsrblu]

My Silkies are 6 mos to 2 yrs old. The oldest ones never roosted even though I provided them with a 5 inch high roost. Half of my pullets and cockerels will roost occasionally, the other half won't roost. I guess roosting isn't necessary for a good night's sleep for Silkies

 

[diane3003]

Ha I guess not. I had my boyfriend build a ramp & I have to still go out & direct him onto it. Going on day 4 now. I do this because he so acts like he wants up there with the others but he just won't go up. He's funny.