Is this 1 1/2 old silkie ? please help

[Ameer894]

There are buff orpington! I'm asking about the silkie they should be one and half month old. Why they are looking so little ?

 

[thechickenator]

silkies are very small chickens so they will be smaller than your buff orpington

 

[Ameer894]

Thank you very much. But I'm afraid they will be ugly. May they get some more "silk" on their bodys with time?
They are aged but their heads still like any other feathered chicken??

 

[realsis]

Your wondering why they don't have large crests like other silkies you have seen? It could be a few reasons. Do you know if they are a cross with another breed? If not did you get them from a hatchery? Hatchery silkies usually do not have large full crests like breeder stock silkies. I'm sure they will develop some crest but if they are hatchery they won't have the large full crest your asking about. If your looking for a fuller crested more fluffy type of silkie that is closer to the standard of perfection then find a silkie breeder. I have a flock of silkies myself and you can usually find a good breeder online that's willing to ship. The breeder chicks are really only a few extra dollars than the hatchery. Depending on the breeder. Don't discount shipping. This year my breeder chicks were shipped to me from back east and I live in california. Shipping for that far was only about 40.dollars which isn't bad considering the distance! They arrived safe and healthy. So you might consider finding a online silkie breeder and have the chicks shipped. You can compare prices with different breeders. In my expirence silkie chicks from breeders are around 10 to 15 dollars a chick. 2 to 3 month Olds are around 40 to 50 dollars depending on the breeders. So if your looking for the larger crested silkies a breeder would be a better option. All silkies go through a awkward "ugly phase while they are growing then they bloom. I wouldn't worry about your birds. They just won't have the large crests. I hope this helps and wish you the best!

 

[sourland]

silkies are very small chickens so they will be smaller than your buff orpington

I'm guessing that they were purchased from a hatchery. They will be 'pet quality' silkies - nothing like the show strains.

 

[realsis]

I think they are cute even without the large crests. My birds have very large crests and once a month I have to trim the crest just so they can see! So at least you won't have to worry about them not being able to see. They will be just fine with the smaller crests. Like I mentioned if you want the larger crested silkie then go with a breeder. If your not showing the smaller crests won't matter and they still will make wonderful pets. They are both beautiful birds I think . They are just not show quality. You might actually like the smaller crests be cause they will be able to see better and you won't have to trim them. It's just a matter of personal preference. There is show quality silkies, breeder quality silkies, and pet quality silkies and you will get a variation of looks depending on which category they fall under. Breeder quality is closer to the standard of perfection but if your not showing it does not matter unless your looking for a certain "look". In that case breeder quality might be what your looking for. Hope this helps and wish you the best! I think your birds are cute and I sure they will grow nicely even without a bigger crest.

 

[Ameer894]

Hellow
Thank you everyone, that information just helped me a lot
So I have a question:I know a silkie breeder, she has high-quality silkies with crests on their heads(yes you guessed right it's true I adore full crests like the silkie in your photo)she even has a 12 years old silkie that is the first mother, still laying so: If I buy from her one and let it cross with mine, will I get good babies with large crests?
Best wishes so many thanks

 

[realsis]

That I would doubt. You will likely need two good breeding pairs (large crests like you like) in order to get your desired results. I would buy a male and female pair from her and then breed. Then you will be certain to get the quality you seek. Thank you for the compliment on my avatar. That bird is named peep. She was only 7 weeks old in that photo! I've never seen a baby with quite that big of a crest as she had when she was young. In fact I'm ALWAYS having to trim it for her.poor dear can't see a thing unless I trim it! She is now six months old. Her Crest grows faster than any of my other girls! I'll trim it up and three weeks later she needs it again. That's the bad part of having a big crest. They truly can't see unless you trim it.i try and trim it in a way that does not destroy the look of the crest but allows her to see.i basically cut out around her eyes. She gets so happy after her hair cut because she can see again! When you buy yours from your breeder you will likely have to trim theirs as well. Poor dears , their vision is obscured by their crests! If you don't trim they will bump into things and have a hard time. So I always make sure to trim them. I wish you the best of luck and please post some pics when you get your new babies from the breeder! I'm sure they will be adorable!!! God bless.

 

[Ameer894]

Thank you!!
You r so nice, I hope for you and your birds the best.