Is it a bad idea to get a Silkie? Please talk me out of it.

[Dill]

I'm DYING for silkies. Must..have..silkies... I can't think of one bad thing to say about them but could name several good things lol.

 

[mom'sfolly]

you've come to the wrong place to have anyone talk you out of more chickens. Silkies will sit on air. My one year old little girl has been broody about 6 times...but she has never had eggs under her. Maybe this year.

 

[cackle]

I have 4 silkies and hope I have one go broody this spring. At first I said I would only put the RIR eggs under any silkie that went broody but I have re-THUNK my ways. I will let her hatch out her own eggs.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I LOVE my silkies! They are just funny chickens. Mine have the absolute best personality and are cute as pie!
It is impossible to break them of a broody though. They are very determined about the broody. One of mine went broody in December and one went broody this past week (in 2 degree temps!). I've had no luck breaking them at all. On the plus side, they are excellant incubators and terrific moms.

Get a couple. You know you want to!

 

[Catalina]

Quote:
Gaaaaaaa! She is too cute!!!
Are you guys trying reverse psychology on me? Get one = don't get one

I don't mind if they go broody - I have an EE that's been broody most of her life.
But it's such a temptation - I want to give her some eggs to hatch- NO! NO! I can't! No more chickens! But they are so cute and fluffy...... And I bet they could keep each other company while they're broody..........so cute and fluffy.........

 

[Bec]

Can you free range them?? I was thinking about them too

 

[PortageGirl]

Only way I'd get one or more is as bait for the preditors, giving my big girls time to get away from the hunters! *ducks and runs from the rotten garbage being thrown at her*

Actually they'd have to prove themselves able to manage with the rest of the hens. I care for my birds very well, but don't want to have to fuss either. I select my hens for free ranging abilities and being able to deal with conditions, one heat lamp is reasonable, two heat lamps in extreme cases, well, ok, a whole new coop or some elaborate set up, no, not so much!

 

[momofdrew]

Quote:
yes of course you can free range them



ok now I will talk you out of silkies cause then I WILL HAVE THEM ALL HHEEEE HEEEE

 

[Bec]

I was just worried because my polish were taken so easily

My backyard is fenced and the heavier breeds that cant fly out are fine, but I just dont want to keep feeding the hawks!

Those little fuzzies are just so hard to resist in the spring!

 

[WalkingWolf]

We have 2 juvenile silkies and 5 one week old chicks. My wife brought home the two when I sent her to get feed. Not what I planned and they are extremely sweet. They like human attention and want to be held constantly. Even now that they are outside in the pen they run to be picked up as soon as I enter. When I sit in the lawn chair in the pen I am usually covered with the 2 silkies and the 4 cornish bantam hens with a jealous Pekin duck nipping at my ankles. Cornish bantams crave attention as much as the silkies.

If you don't mind the spoiled clingy nature of the silkies GET THEM!!