Freaking Silkies! How did these things survive before Backyard Chickening?!?!

[ColtHandorf]

Just like many tiny breeds of dogs, Silkies are highly ornamental but mostly useless when it comes to surviving on their own. They were bred for containment, not for thriftiness.

You keep ninja-ing me! lol But at least we're both saying the same thing. Haha

 

[RainbowHen]

Many breeds of chickens are ornamental; Polish, the long-tailed breeds like Phoenix and Yokohama come to mind. But then humans tend to do that with a lot of things. Just look at domesticated dogs for instance.

But I agree on the Silkies. I have one little goofball now that if I can find him some lady friends I'll be happy to keep. If not he'll find a home with someone who will love him. I much prefer my big English Orpingtons to the Silkies, but he has grown on me despite the fact that I always said I'd never have one. lol

They sure are cute little buggers. I loved my polish but those things were fairly good at trying to kill themselves.

 

[RainbowHen]

You keep ninja-ing me! lol But at least we're both saying the same thing. Haha

My bad

 

[Newby777]

Many breeds of chickens are ornamental; Polish, the long-tailed breeds like Phoenix and Yokohama come to mind. But then humans tend to do that with a lot of things. Just look at domesticated dogs for instance.

But I agree on the Silkies. I have one little goofball now that if I can find him some lady friends I'll be happy to keep. If not he'll find a home with someone who will love him. I much prefer my big English Orpingtons to the Silkies, but he has grown on me despite the fact that I always said I'd never have one. lol

How well do your silkies lay? I have 2 young silkies that haven’t started laying yet. I can see myself wanting to swap them out if they don’t lay well. But they do create diversity in the flock and fun for people to look at and talk about! I’ve seen people put elastics in their hair too! I tried, it lasted a few minutes

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Agree, silkies are pretty defenseless. I let mine free range only under strict supervision. But I also agree many other chickens would not survive in the wild, including my amazingly gorgeous english orpington. She looks like a lumbering bus trying to run and much too heavy to fly very high or far!

 

[ColtHandorf]

They sure are cute little buggers. I loved my polish but those things were fairly good at trying to kill themselves.

I do love some Buff-laced Polish. I grabbed some from TSC early this year and wouldn't you know it they were all pullets. I couldn't find a cockerel so I sold them at a poultry event last month. People were absolutely freaking out over them. They were pre-sold and I sold every bird I brought save two pairs of Seramas and made $1400 but if I'd been breeding Polish I'd have left a rich man. lol The lady that bought the pullets for $30 each almost died when someone offered me $100 for each of them. lol

 

[ColtHandorf]

How well do your silkies lay? I have 2 young silkies that haven’t started laying yet. I can see myself wanting to swap them out if they don’t lay well. But they do create diversity in the flock and fun for people to look at and talk about! I’ve seen people put elastics in their hair too! I tried, it lasted a few minutes

I only have Jamie, the tutu wearing boy. His first and only girlfriend was found dead in the next box one day. She was absolutely gorgeous and I was so sad. I need to get some more, but I don't want to drive the two hours (one way) to get some more pullets.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

How well do your silkies lay? I have 2 young silkies that haven’t started laying yet. I can see myself wanting to swap them out if they don’t lay well. But they do create diversity in the flock and fun for people to look at and talk about! I’ve seen people put elastics in their hair too! I tried, it lasted a few minutes

Well don't let them outside. Mine were fine until my dog went to get something to eat and then BAM hawk sitting on it's little corpse and my daughter crying. The hawk just sat there and looked at me like "what, this thing is useless I did you a favor" and I had a difficult time arguing with him.

And PS @Newby777 in my experience, they don't lay well. That is the few that even make it to laying age without committing some type of silkie assisted suicide.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Look I know there are Silkie nuts out there- and good for you! But how in the holy world of chickens did these things survive in nature? I've had 5 silkies over 15 years and all 5 have been predated. Sure, it's probably my fault for letting them free range with the other birds- but that's on me and not the question. The question is how in the world can these things survive if they're not in a pen? Best I can tell, they have no proper defense mechanisms and can barely even see (again, I get it- I could trim the fuzz around their eyes) I'm talking about IN THE WILD??!

Well they are a domestic breed and never meant to survive in the wild. If freeranging I would always have a rooster around... They rely on their roo man to warn them of danger. I have never lost a Silkie to a predator and have a roo and a cockerel between 5 ladies. Some do have an extreme fluffy crest and those ones really need one on one support from a roo if ranging - I have one most extremely fluffy that can't see a thing she'll bump into walls but my cockerel keeps a good eye on her and she follows him everywhere.
As for laying, my hen lays daily... For 2 weeks then broods chicks that turn into pullets that lay more eggs, what more could you ask for!?

 

[Ginmary]

My silkie is the most consistent layer I have. Both my silkies are extreme brooders. I wish I could rent them out to hatch eggs.