Chicken Breed Focus - Silkie

[smokie]

I live in sihanokovile cambodia and would love to get hold of silkies I used to keep them in UK but doesn't seem to be any round hear and people don't now what I am on about when I am asking for them

 

[Fancychooklady]

I live in sihanokovile cambodia and would love to get hold of silkies I used to keep them in UK but doesn't seem to be any round hear and people don't now what I am on about when I am asking for them

Hi . Being as they are somewhat of a delicacy in some Asian countries I would have thought someone there must know of them.


According to this link , they are prevalent in Cambodia ,but on the menu. Perhaps if you asked at some of the restaurants where they get their birds you might be able to get some live ones.

http://www.hungryforever.com/ever-heard-of-black-chicken-theyre-silkies-and-theyre-real/

 

[varidgerunner]

Try asking for wu gu ji. That is Chinese, don't know if that would work in Cambodia. There should be some pretty interesting breeds there anyway, if you can't find silkies.

 

[smokie]

Everything hear seems to be called chicken or mon konmon for chicks with no reference to breed but there are some very smart lookers hear seen like game fowl to be some very beautifull collars maybe I could find out more if I could speak the Khmer language I'm trying to learn , their fowl look to be very hardy and seem to scavenge for their own food

 

[xoxomylaydees]

Hi Everyone, Enjoy see all the beautiful silkie's
I have been a first time(chicken)...silkie.... owner for about 4months now. I have a 6month rooster and hen, and a 1 1/2 year old hen. I would like to add 2 or so more silkie hens to the group , but Im not sure at what age the youngs ones should be? I know silkies are a more friendly breed, but is there a age or size they need to be? but what is a good age to add to existing little flock?I am making sure they are hens, so they will be at least 4months old. My rooster is very protective over his hen's now, would he see the young new ones as a threat? Also, the new ones will be 4 months in Jan 2016, winter here in Oregon. Im worried how to integrade them, I only have one coop, where the nests are, but can split the run so they can see each other. So Im not sure what to do at night for them...And to add to the problem, I dont use a heat lamp, the home where the young ones are coming from does....Would it be better if my friend keeps the young ones til spring? She said she would.....Any idea's????
thx

 

[MumsyIII]

Okay good, thank you.

But hmmm, that's really interesting. I wonder if maybe it's just like a throwback trait? Sort of like how some dog breeds occasionally get a color/pattern or coat type that's not.common? And like I know Labs have sooooo much more variety than just the three colors accepted, they should allow more. Personally I'm partial to the mosaic Labs. But they do sometimes get plush coats and/or a white "t" on the chest or dot under paw, all 3of which, especially the T are throwbacks to breeds used to make them or related breeds. It's interesting. Wonder if the Silkie skull thing is the same. But yeah, I feel like here a big focus is the crest. And, unfortunately, I've noticed that even with dogs and other animals, the U.S. in general tends to be much more focused on exaggerated features, even if it compromises the health of the animals.

I can see why people like the crest though because to me it is very cute and rather hilarious but I do feel bad that they can't see. However, that said, I have heard some people trim the crest around the eyes/face?

My silkie flock of 65 produce vaulted skulls one in three chicks. My very large crested silkies can see just fine. I never trim. I prefer large crested silkies and cull for those lacking. But I don't breed for vault or against. As the original poster mentioned. To each their own. Type is most important. I breed to the American Standard of perfection.
Others can breed to what ever other standard they prefer. Or none.

 

[Sylvester017]

Hi Everyone, Enjoy see all the beautiful silkie's
I have been a first time(chicken)...silkie.... owner for about 4months now. I have a 6month rooster and hen, and a 1 1/2 year old hen. I would like to add 2 or so more silkie hens to the group , but Im not sure at what age the youngs ones should be? I know silkies are a more friendly breed, but is there a age or size they need to be? but what is a good age to add to existing little flock?I am making sure they are hens, so they will be at least 4months old. My rooster is very protective over his hen's now, would he see the young new ones as a threat? Also, the new ones will be 4 months in Jan 2016, winter here in Oregon. Im worried how to integrade them, I only have one coop, where the nests are, but can split the run so they can see each other. So Im not sure what to do at night for them...And to add to the problem, I dont use a heat lamp, the home where the young ones are coming from does....Would it be better if my friend keeps the young ones til spring? She said she would.....Any idea's????
thx

Well, you asked for ideas and here goes LOL! I do not acquire birds that I haven't prepared for in advance. Is there any rush for you to acquire your new Silkies before you are adequately prepared for them? I waited 6 months to set up housing facilities before acquiring my first two Silkies.

Integrating Silkies to each other is not a problem if there is a wire fence separating them to get acquainted. I never used a cage in a pen as so many owners do but actually divided the backyard with rabbit fencing so both new and old birds could range together in the yard but not touch each other. Evenings I would put the new bird in a grated nextbox so the old birds could see the new bird in the morning but not able to touch her. Then I took the new bird out of the nestbox to put her on her side of the foraging yard in the morning. The curious oldsters will check out the new bird in the nestbox in the morning and then file out for their morning foraging. We cut out a plastic grate to fit over the nestbox entrance and used painter's tape to secure it to the nestbox wall. Hey, don't laugh! It worked. The view of the nestboxes is from the back egg collection door.


Also, I do not integrate new birds until they are at least 4 to 5 months old and at least as large as the older birds. When I integrated our last Silkie she was alone but I had her on one side of the fence foraging while the older flock was on the other side for about a month. She was about 6 months old when I removed the fence barrier and she continued toodling around all the yard as if she was one of the original flock! Don't integrate new juveniles at feeding time since the oldsters can get overly peckish about food. Chickens are chickens and even Silkies have pecking order squabbles so that's why I never integrate juveniles until about 5 months old so they are equal in size with the oldsters. How or what you do to adequately prepare your housing facility will be your decision but if you are having divider issues or climate issues I suggest working those out before adding birds. Not to say that Silkies can't have issues but in my experience they've been the gentlest breed to integrate and introduce to each other. And they have varying degrees of passivity or assertiveness. Our cockerel was a sweetheart. Our first pullet was a shrinking violet and our next pullet was a real pistol so don't expect them all to have the same personality,

JMHO and GL!

 

[sumi]

My favorites feathered subjects.

Wonderful, wonderful photos!

You should enter two of these for the calendar next year. Thank you for sharing!

 

[chicken4prez]

You SHOULD put those pics for the calendar next year @Fancychooklady

 

[Fancychooklady]

Wonderful, wonderful photos!  You should enter two of these for the calendar next year. Thank you for sharing!

Thank you sumi, but which 2 ??? I have hundreds of pics and my problem is ,I can never decide on which ones.