Do you think this would work?/ more of my late night questions!

[MysteryChicken]

I've done that years ago, but the big dog manages to get on top and has practically ripped the whole thing with her nails, but since they will have some shelter, I'm not that worried thanks again!

Even the metal roofing?

 

[fluffycrow]

Even the metal roofing?

No, not the metal roofing, thankfully she's not THAT destructive

 

[MysteryChicken]

No, not the metal roofing, thankfully she's not THAT destructive

Okay, I was gonna say that's one heck of a dog you got. If she were that destructive.

 

[fluffycrow]

If she were that destructive, I would have WAY more serious things to think about than the silkies bot finding their shelter. Like for example the fact that she would be IN the coop, hunting all the chickens

 

[MysteryChicken]

If she were that destructive, I would have WAY more serious things to think about than the silkies bot finding their shelter. Like for example the fact that she would be IN the coop, hunting all the chickens

Yeah.

 

[ikoCRO]

May I ask the serama standard as well? It's another breed available to me, and I must admit, quite irresistible.



Here is my question. I'm looking into silkies, but I fear the space I have for them won't be suitable. Greece has been struck with really bad weather during the winters these past few years, and really hot summers. My question is, would a silkie survive those conditions, or would a serama be better? I think the silkie would have been better, but those feathers will get soaked in no time, and I'm wondering if a serama would be a better option because of that, though their small size makes me think otherwise. They will obviously have a sheltered area where they can go, my fear is if they can get to it in time

Silkies are a very resistant breed of chickens - even though they don't look like it!
I have already shown you that I have little silkies, even though it is snowing outside. I have never had sick silkies in my life (I have been breeding them for about 7 years).
Hard summers and winters are not a problem for them, it is only important that they are dry!
Although for a while my silkies were outside in the open, in the rain, they didn't get sick, only their feathers get wet and then it looks ugly.
But remember, all this is not valid if you have good genetics of the flock of silkies!
But that applies to every breed.

 

[ikoCRO]

SERAMA
Origin: Malaysia
Classification: True Bantam
Egg colour: Varying from white through to brown
The Malaysian Serama first arrived in the UK in 2004 and The Serama Club of Great
Britain was formed in 2005.
The exact origins of the Serama are unclear, but the breed is understood to have been
developed at the early part of the 1970s in Kelatan State in Malaysia. The ‘Kapan’ (a
miniature upright pet bantam), various small native game-like birds and the ‘Kate’ (the
native unrefined ancestor of Japanese bantam) were all believed to have been used to create
a small lightweight bird with a distinctive outline and character. The breed was given the
name ‘Serama’ after a popular character Sri Rama from the traditional shadow puppet
plays. In its native Malaysia today, the Serama is a very popular and highly prized
exhibition bird, where they are trained to display themselves on a table before a panel of
judges, and are regarded as a ‘Living work of art’.
General characteristics: male
Type: Body well muscled with breast carried high, full and well forward. When viewed
from above the shape is somewhat elliptical, tapering towards the tail. The back should be
short and entirely covered by abundant hackle, covering both the shoulders and secondaries
and flowing onto the tail coverts, giving the base of the tail a full appearance.
Carriage and temperament: Assertive and confident yet calm and manageable. Should be
easily handled and show no excessive aggression. The bird should pose readily and when
viewed from the side should create a vase-like or wide V shape, with the chest, neck and
head forming an S shape in pose.
Tail: Tail should be carried high and vertical or within 20° behind vertical, parallel and
close to the neck and should be large and full. Main tail feathers should be long and broad
and should overlap. The tail should be open and, when viewed from behind, should create
an inverted V shape. Sickles should have a slight curve and protrude just above the main
tail feathers. Side hangers and tail coverts should be broad, plentiful and curved.
Wings: Fairly large in proportion to the body, they should be held in a vertical position just
clearing the ground and leaving the feet partially visible. Shoulders should be set high on
the bird. Primaries are long and of medium width, with secondaries moderately long and
broad. Slight separation between the primaries and secondaries at the wing tips is
acceptable.
Head: Head to be in proportion to the body and carried well back. The single, upright
comb is small to medium in size with five regular, pointed serrations as ideal. It should be
straight, smooth and free of folds or any deformities and tending towards flyaway type.
Wattles are to complement the comb, smaller being preferred and free from folds or
wrinkles.
Comb, face and wattles: Bright red, though darker is acceptable in darker coloured birds.
Ear-lobes: Any colour or combination of colours acceptable.
Eyes: Clear and bright, any colour being acceptable.
Legs and feet: The legs are of medium length, straight and set wide apart to allow for full
and muscular body. They should be strong and stable. Thighs should be of medium length
and well muscled. Shanks to be clean and sturdy, without coarseness. Toes four, straight
and well spaced. Any colour legs and feet are acceptable.
Plumage: All feathers should be in good condition with lustrous sheen. Body feathers to be
full yet firm, retaining the body’s outline.
Colour: Male and female – any colour or combination of colours is acceptable and none to
be penalised.
Female
The general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing for the natural sexual
differences.
Weights
Male up to 500 g
Female up to 450 g
Scale of points
Type and carriage 55
Temperament 15
Legs and feet 10
Head 10
Condition 10
100
Silkied Serama
Silkied feathered Serama are acceptable. The silkied feathered should still retain the typical
Serama outline, as in the smooth feathered, but the body feathers should have a silkie, loose
feather structure (i.e. feathers should have no central vein). This cannot apply to the
primary and secondary wing feathers or the main tail feathers, which would nullify any
true Serama type.
All other characteristics should follow the main Standard.
Serious defects
Excessive aggression, nervousness or shyness. Long back. Low tail carriage, decidedly wry
tail, squirrel tail. Cow hocks, duck feet, legs too short, course or too fine. Feathering on
shanks or feet. Comb other than single. Excessively large comb or wattles. Any general
defects. Weight exceeding the upper limit.

 

[fluffycrow]

SERAMA
Origin: Malaysia
Classification: True Bantam
Egg colour: Varying from white through to brown
The Malaysian Serama first arrived in the UK in 2004 and The Serama Club of Great
Britain was formed in 2005.
The exact origins of the Serama are unclear, but the breed is understood to have been
developed at the early part of the 1970s in Kelatan State in Malaysia. The ‘Kapan’ (a
miniature upright pet bantam), various small native game-like birds and the ‘Kate’ (the
native unrefined ancestor of Japanese bantam) were all believed to have been used to create
a small lightweight bird with a distinctive outline and character. The breed was given the
name ‘Serama’ after a popular character Sri Rama from the traditional shadow puppet
plays. In its native Malaysia today, the Serama is a very popular and highly prized
exhibition bird, where they are trained to display themselves on a table before a panel of
judges, and are regarded as a ‘Living work of art’.
General characteristics: male
Type: Body well muscled with breast carried high, full and well forward. When viewed
from above the shape is somewhat elliptical, tapering towards the tail. The back should be
short and entirely covered by abundant hackle, covering both the shoulders and secondaries
and flowing onto the tail coverts, giving the base of the tail a full appearance.
Carriage and temperament: Assertive and confident yet calm and manageable. Should be
easily handled and show no excessive aggression. The bird should pose readily and when
viewed from the side should create a vase-like or wide V shape, with the chest, neck and
head forming an S shape in pose.
Tail: Tail should be carried high and vertical or within 20° behind vertical, parallel and
close to the neck and should be large and full. Main tail feathers should be long and broad
and should overlap. The tail should be open and, when viewed from behind, should create
an inverted V shape. Sickles should have a slight curve and protrude just above the main
tail feathers. Side hangers and tail coverts should be broad, plentiful and curved.
Wings: Fairly large in proportion to the body, they should be held in a vertical position just
clearing the ground and leaving the feet partially visible. Shoulders should be set high on
the bird. Primaries are long and of medium width, with secondaries moderately long and
broad. Slight separation between the primaries and secondaries at the wing tips is
acceptable.
Head: Head to be in proportion to the body and carried well back. The single, upright
comb is small to medium in size with five regular, pointed serrations as ideal. It should be
straight, smooth and free of folds or any deformities and tending towards flyaway type.
Wattles are to complement the comb, smaller being preferred and free from folds or
wrinkles.
Comb, face and wattles: Bright red, though darker is acceptable in darker coloured birds.
Ear-lobes: Any colour or combination of colours acceptable.
Eyes: Clear and bright, any colour being acceptable.
Legs and feet: The legs are of medium length, straight and set wide apart to allow for full
and muscular body. They should be strong and stable. Thighs should be of medium length
and well muscled. Shanks to be clean and sturdy, without coarseness. Toes four, straight
and well spaced. Any colour legs and feet are acceptable.
Plumage: All feathers should be in good condition with lustrous sheen. Body feathers to be
full yet firm, retaining the body’s outline.
Colour: Male and female – any colour or combination of colours is acceptable and none to
be penalised.
Female
The general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing for the natural sexual
differences.
Weights
Male up to 500 g
Female up to 450 g
Scale of points
Type and carriage 55
Temperament 15
Legs and feet 10
Head 10
Condition 10
100
Silkied Serama
Silkied feathered Serama are acceptable. The silkied feathered should still retain the typical
Serama outline, as in the smooth feathered, but the body feathers should have a silkie, loose
feather structure (i.e. feathers should have no central vein). This cannot apply to the
primary and secondary wing feathers or the main tail feathers, which would nullify any
true Serama type.
All other characteristics should follow the main Standard.
Serious defects
Excessive aggression, nervousness or shyness. Long back. Low tail carriage, decidedly wry
tail, squirrel tail. Cow hocks, duck feet, legs too short, course or too fine. Feathering on
shanks or feet. Comb other than single. Excessively large comb or wattles. Any general
defects. Weight exceeding the upper limit.

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Silkies are a very resistant breed of chickens - even though they don't look like it!
I have already shown you that I have little silkies, even though it is snowing outside. I have never had sick silkies in my life (I have been breeding them for about 7 years).
Hard summers and winters are not a problem for them, it is only important that they are dry!
Although for a while my silkies were outside in the open, in the rain, they didn't get sick, only their feathers get wet and then it looks ugly.

Yes, very resistant they are.

But remember, all this is not valid if you have good genetics of the flock of silkies!
But that applies to every breed.

Not quite sure if I understood this fully.

 

[ikoCRO]

Not quite sure if I understood this fully.

Many breeders,inbred animals.
Animals that are related by blood have bad genetics.
Such animals are not resistant to diseases, they give bad results in offspring...
Regular introduction of other genetics into the herd strengthens the genetics of the herd and such animals give the best results.
It's hard for me to explain through Google translator, but it's bad, for example, when we mate a brother and a sister, a cousin and a cousin...so we repeat these actions by changing partners in the herd, without introducing a new animal with a different genetic line.
Unfortunately, this is what many breeders do in order to save money and make quick money.