our SILKIE tractor pic....update on the ramp and silkies

[AK Michelle]

I have about 50 (don't tell hubby) chickens of assorted ages, 6 - 20 weeks old. Of those I have 9 silkies (assorted colors) including a pair of show quality black silkies. My coop is not finished yet, it doesn't have a chicken door or a ramp so I open the big "people" door into the run and let them hop down into the yard. It's probably 6 or 7 inches.

The silkies were the LAST ones to come out of the coop into the run. They are all about 18-20 weeks old but stood in the doorway looking out with all the little babies who were being shy. Now the babies come streaming out but most of the silkies still stay inside. the 2 blues come out fairly regularly and seem to be able to hop back in. My sq hen is gorgeous but not too bright. She falls out of the coop, stands around in the grass and then stands by the door waiting for me to throw her back in. The other silkies have all been out (when I put them out to clean) but they don't come out on their own and I have to lift them back in. Even my 5 week old polish chicks can get themselves in and out but these older, more mature silkies can't get the hang of it.

I'm hoping to build them a ramp this afternoon while hubby and I build the nest boxes.

Michelle

 

[insiderart]

My silkie could get down, just not back up. Actually I think she was falling down the hole. But with the SS rooster, he would herd her up the ramp at night. Can't go to bed without your girl!!

 

[tgrlily]

We have 13 silkies and they all use the ramp, which is quite a ramp! Here's a pic of part of it:

We let them come out of the coop on their own & they learned how to use it. Several of them hang out at the top & in the pop-doorway in the evening around bedtime. They're getting their own little playhouse coop soon. It'll have a sleeping porch so they can stay out at night like they want, but still be safe. We're elevating it, so they'll still have a ramp to navigate... it just won't be a mega-ramp like they have now.

Just another fine example of silkie mind control.... they're really not dumb! They hold their own with the bigger chickens... just like little ninjas.

When we open the gate to let the chickens have the run of the yard, the silkies go too -- just like they're real chickens...lol.

I bet yours will be just fine in a few days!

 

[BBK]

We have 13 silkies and they all use the ramp, which is quite a ramp!

I bet yours will be just fine in a few days!

Boy...I sure hope so... it's already getting old going out and putting them back into the coop at night....It's going to be really bad when I have to do it...lol

Which will be Friday night....DS is going to a pool party and won't be home till 10PM...

Melinda

I forgot to say....wowzer on your ramp....and they climb it ALL of the time??? that's wonderful news...see everyone...they CAN do it!!!!​

 

[tgrlily]

Yes, they climb it all the time!

The food is in the coop and I only give treats outside, so they go in and out all day. The ramp is at least 6 feet long.

Quote:
Boy...I sure hope so... it's already getting old going out and putting them back into the coop at night....It's going to be really bad when I have to do it...lol

Which will be Friday night....DS is going to a pool party and won't be home till 10PM...

Melinda

I forgot to say....wowzer on your ramp....and they climb it ALL of the time??? that's wonderful news...see everyone...they CAN do it!!!!

 

[gocrow77]

Mine have no ramp or anything - and they free range during the day while we are at home. WHen I first brought my silkies home and introduced them into the "main population" after quarentine they would nt leave the coop for anything. For a whole week this went on. Then they finally started taking baby steps out of the coop. They would only get maybe a few feet from the door at first, then gradually became braver as they got more familiar/comfortable with their surroundings. They never had any kind of obsticle to overcome in getting out of or returning to the coop. Until, I started easing my babies into the coop and free range flock. When I do this I move them to an outside wire brooder with a lamp in the coop instead of the house. Then after they have been in there for about a week I put up about a 1-2 foot tall board in from of the coop door so that the big kids can get in and out, but not the chicks. This way they get some more room to run around during the day and get used to a bigger place as home. At night they go back in the wire "brooder". Well this was the routine for about 2 weeks. One night it actually got dark before I ran out to put my flock up in the coop and secure them for the night. I was worried about the silkies - they seem so helpless. I told hubby they have to still be outside in front of the coop probably deserate to get back in and in their spot on the floor. Poor things were probably freaking out! Nope - they had jumped up and over the board and were right where they always were all three snuggled in their silkie pile - sneaky devils! And the babies were right in their wire brooder that I leave open for them - the doors are far too small for a big chicken to get in. All was well. They will surprise you from time to time - silkies HATE change I think! And it makes them seem less able than most chickens.