I cannot decide between Silkie or polish chicks for next spring!!

[Kuntry Klucker]

Hi All,

I am looking to get some new breeds for next spring. I cannot decide between Silkies or White Crested Polish Bantoms.
For those who have these breeds can you please relate to me your experience with these breeds so that I can make a decision. Things like temperament, maintenance, and special care.

If I decide to go with both, can the chicks share a brooder? They will of course have separate coops and pens once they graduate to going outside.

Thanks for you opinions in advance.

 

[Lacrystol]

I have silkies and I can tell you they do tend to get sick very easily, I'm not saying that you will always have a sickness problem, I'm just saying they seem to have a weaker system. I have some that i have had for 6 years and some that don't last a year. Some I have to contact a vet about and some they do just fine. Funny when I contact my vet about any issues the first question I'm ask " is this a silkie". LOL so they do seem to have a weaker system. They also can't fly so if I predator is after them, chances are they will be caught. I had a possum get into the coop, my silkie didn't even try to run away just sat there. I was able to save her before he did any major damage but just to give you an idea.

I never had a polish, was actually considering getting some though.

But one HUGE bonus from a Silkie is they are DEDICATED mommies. They are determined and GREAT incubators. They will hatch ANYTHING, even ducks. LOL They are stubborn in the after that they will keep sitting until they hatch a baby. Silkies are beautiful birds though and I love Holding them and touching those soft silkie feathers. Hope this helps a little..

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

I have silkies and I can tell you they do tend to get sick very easily, I'm not saying that you will always have a sickness problem, I'm just saying they seem to have a weaker system. I have some that i have had for 6 years and some that don't last a year. Some I have to contact a vet about and some they do just fine. Funny when I contact my vet about any issues the first question I'm ask " is this a silkie". LOL so they do seem to have a weaker system. They also can't fly so if I predator is after them, chances are they will be caught. I had a possum get into the coop, my silkie didn't even try to run away just sat there. I was able to save her before he did any major damage but just to give you an idea.

I never had a polish, was actually considering getting some though.

But one HUGE bonus from a Silkie is they are DEDICATED mommies. They are determined and GREAT incubators. They will hatch ANYTHING, even ducks. LOL They are stubborn in the after that they will keep sitting until they hatch a baby. Silkies are beautiful birds though and I love Holding them and touching those soft silkie feathers. Hope this helps a little..

Thank you so much of your post. I had no idea about their sickly nature. I will keep that in mind. its funny that the vet even asks if its a silkie that you were calling about. Do you have any silkie roosters? If so, could you tell me about their temperament.

If you don't mine me asking, what kind of setup do you have for them? I am trying to get some idea on how to construct mine. If you don't mind sharing that would be very helpful.

 

[vpeterson]

I have had both breeds and I prefer silkies hands down. Polish are very flighty. They have a lot of energy and will fly up in trees. Silkies cannot fly and stick close to the food dish. They are gentle and great pets. I recommend them for families with children. I have not found them to be sickly. They are easy to catch and hold.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

I have had both breeds and I prefer silkies hands down. Polish are very flighty. They have a lot of energy and will fly up in trees. Silkies cannot fly and stick close to the food dish. They are gentle and great pets. I recommend them for families with children. I have not found them to be sickly. They are easy to catch and hold.

Thank you so much for you post. Your silkie babies are so pretty. I love the white Silkies they are just stunning. I am aware that the Polish are flighty,
that was something I was weighing in choosing them over the silkies. I would have to keep them in a safe pen of some sort if I did go with them.
The silkies are such sweeties, its hard to not get them too.

 

[keesmom]

We have had both hatchery and breeder silkies for several years and have not found them to be susceptible to illness. They are easy pickings for predators though. And annoyingly broody.

We have tried both bantam and large fowl Polish several times from a hatchery. For us, they did not do as well as the silkies. Some failed to thrive, some had a screw loose, and one had a genetic deformity.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I've had both and they are both hardy. Polish can be a bit nutty. Silkies can be a bit off. You should be okay raising some of each together if you can't decide. Be prepared for special needs birds in both breeds as some crested birds have domed skulls which sometimes causes brain problems and slow birds.

 

[JayColli]

I find the polish to be quite flighty but capable foragers and mine is quite vigilant. The silkies remind me of little cows that just graze around the bale feeder all day and don't really pay much attention to their surroundings which is great in a coop or during safe free ranging conditions but I wouldn't leave them out all day while at work like I do any other chook.

 

[Lacrystol]

Thank you so much of your post. I had no idea about their sickly nature. I will keep that in mind. its funny that the vet even asks if its a silkie that you were calling about. Do you have any silkie roosters? If so, could you tell me about their temperament.

If you don't mine me asking, what kind of setup do you have for them? I am trying to get some idea on how to construct mine. If you don't mind sharing that would be very helpful.

I do have several roosters, I have a red paint silkie rooster that OMG, he's a little stinker, he will peck at me when my girls goes into broody mode. I guess this is my warning STAY AWAY LADY. But then I have a lavender rooster who acts like I'm the devil, he'll run away at any cost. The girls are the ones I especially like since they are like "hold me", or yeh you can touch me, pick me up whatever you want to do.

I made a handicapped ramp for mine, you see there nesting boxes are about 4 feet up off the ground, the ramp is for them to go up and down on, however, I had to place side panels, three of my girls can't see very good because of there high vaults so it's easy for them to fall off, so we made a 2 1/2 side panel along the ramp so they wouldn't fall off of it.. They use it quite well, it did take some time for them to get the hang of using the ramp but they managed...

 

[Lacrystol]

Silkies have there brains on the outside of there skulls, One Blow to the head will cause them to get injured and wry neck, this is just ONE small example of the kind of issues..