Maybe this is silly... but can silkies roost?

[TXmom]

I have 2 Silkies who I've raised with "regular" chickens... When they were young, they used to cuddle up on the floor (and yes, I had an EE who also joined them on the floor). But then, we had some heavy rains in April that made the coop a little bit soggy, so they moved up on the roost with everybody else. My roosts are 2x4 with the flat side up, so pretty easy to sit on. Also, they can jump to the low roost, and then jump up to the higher roost.

All my birds are free-ranging right now...Silkies included...they have 3 roos for protection. I don't think I'd want the Silkies out by themselves because they do seem...ummm..."special"...I don't think they'd even know if a predator was around.

 

[Kat'sChicks]

My silkies "pseudo-roost" - they sit on the edge of a box 3 inches off the ground or the baseboard of their coop run, and they'll also be found on the low roost with my BO kids which is about 8 inches off the floor, and the BO's will snuggle in on the floor with the silkies sometimes. But no, they don't roost like other chickens.
As far as free ranging safety, mine get turned out all day and have since 2 weeks after I got them this spring (after we got the coop built). At dusk they all parade in to the coop and I put them to bed, making sure all is secure. I think mine must not know they're silkies as they're pretty sharp when it comes to "strangers". Blarney (roo) and his SO Cookie sound the alarm and run to the coop if any vehicle other than mine pulls in. It's hilarious to watch them run in terror when I pull in with hubby's truck then spin and run back when the first one realizes it's me.......you'd think they'd be used to our vehicles by now.

We had a stray cat show up a few weeks back and they did the same thing as soon as they saw it. The barn kittens get disciplined by Cookie if they dare to enter her space, which is anywhere she happens to be.
Both silkies seem to run the entire flock, and even cluck when they find treats and let the BO's have them.

 

[Equus5O]

One of the Silkies is the first one the roost just about every night. They both roost, mixed in with the other breeds. And, they both free range each evening with the rest of the flock.

 

[deidreschultz]

My silkies didn't roost either. then i put a little step down for them. now they roost every night. they're very cute i have 2 and they stick together like glue. they sleep on the same little shelf together. i find it odd though. i 1 has a comb the other doesn't, so i assumed i had 1 hen. till she started crowing. even though they are both roos they're buds.

 

[skav2407]

I've got 5 Silkies and none of them roost either. The other 15 non-silkie chickens do but the silkies stay on the floor in the corner of the coop. They seem to like it as far as I can tell. If it is warm out they will crowd around the pop door and a couple will have their heads out at night.

 

[mrsgibber]

My Silkie roo loved to roost with the girls but I had to put in steps for him to get up there since he couldn't make the flight.

 

[Boondachs]

Mine roost.

 

[joy]

My silkie was born with her sister who is not a silkie and they are inseperable. At first the sussex would roost on a plant pot whilst her silkie sister stayed on the floor but now after a few weeks the silkie realises that she can jump up onto the plant pot herself and they are now even closer

 

[Brindlebtch]

catwalk wrote :

And she does NOT fly, unless you count when she flaps her wings while being carried (I imagine she has a very active fantasy life).

 

[Vanessabuffsnsilkies]

my 5 silkies roost on the top pole with my BO's. They get picked on a little and sometimes end up on the bottom pole, but they are always up there in the evenings. They were raised together.