Silkie bantams

[Mull0908]

Hi,
Iv kept chickens before but never kept silkies
I'm going to incubate them my self for the first time and would be grateful of any advice (pros and cons) thanks.
And also would anyone know the best place to buy a good quality chicken coop.
Iv found a egg supplier in monmouthshire called super silkies

 

[Trimurtisan]

Hi there and welcome to BYC!
In regards to pros/cons on the breed...
They are normally a very sweet breed. The females like to go broody often (aka egg hatching mode), and many people use them instead of an incubator. They are, if anything, a great conversation starter. Let someone who has never seen a Silkie, see your bird. They ARE going to ask about it. Although they are pretty common among chicken keepers, the general public seems to have their mind blown by their looks. My neighbor calls them my Hippie Chickens.

Some people will say they are aloof, or even stupid, but I think a lot of that has to do with their crests. They simply can not see much above them, so they are an easy target for predators like hawks and other birds of prey. The good news it you can safely trim their crests so they can see better. Nothing extreme is needed, just tidy up the sides a bit so it's not hanging over their face. I can always tell when it time for a trim as one of our boys bites me when I go to pick him up (I'm guessing because I scared him). However when his crest is trimmed, he can see me coming and does not bite.

The feathered foot thing is a complete conversation of it's own. Some people love it, some hate it, and some debate if it is a beneficial or detrimental thing. My biggest con about the feet is they get dirty VERY easily. Our boys are white and their feet are too, just under the dirt.

They have black skin which is cool. They also have 5 toes which is both cool and very strange at the same time.

They are not able to fly, and that does need to be taken in to consideration. They will not be able to fly up to an average height roost. Our boys chose to sleep on the ground, and snuggle up together to stay warm. To me it's not a deal breaker, but they will either need a ramp to their roost, or a secure spot on the ground.

It's the only breed my wife likes out of the ~12 breeds we have here.

I'll let some others chime in on the incubation part, but in regards to the Silkies, I say go for it!

Best of luck!

 

[Trimurtisan]

I don't know if she has large fowl or bantam, but @HuffleClaw also owns Silkies and might be able to add a different perspective.

 

[Mull0908]

Hi there and welcome to BYC!
In regards to pros/cons on the breed...
They are normally a very sweet breed. The females like to go broody often (aka egg hatching mode), and many people use them instead of an incubator. They are, if anything, a great conversation starter. Let someone who has never seen a Silkie, see your bird. They ARE going to ask about it. Although they are pretty common among chicken keepers, the general public seems to have their mind blown by their looks. My neighbor calls them my Hippie Chickens.

Some people will say they are aloof, or even stupid, but I think a lot of that has to do with their crests. They simply can not see much above them, so they are an easy target for predators like hawks and other birds of prey. The good news it you can safely trim their crests so they can see better. Nothing extreme is needed, just tidy up the sides a bit so it's not hanging over their face. I can always tell when it time for a trim as one of our boys bites me when I go to pick him up (I'm guessing because I scared him). However when his crest is trimmed, he can see me coming and does not bite.

The feathered foot thing is a complete conversation of it's own. Some people love it, some hate it, and some debate if it is a beneficial or detrimental thing. My biggest con about the feet is they get dirty VERY easily. Our boys are white and their feet are too, just under the dirt.

They have black skin which is cool. They also have 5 toes which is both cool and very strange at the same time.

They are not able to fly, and that does need to be taken in to consideration. They will not be able to fly up to an average height roost. Our boys chose to sleep on the ground, and snuggle up together to stay warm. To me it's not a deal breaker, but they will either need a ramp to their roost, or a secure spot on the ground.

It's the only breed my wife likes out of the ~12 breeds we have here.

I'll let some others chime in on the incubation part, but in regards to the Silkies, I say go for it!

Best of luck!

 

[Mull0908]

Hey thanks for all that good advice, really appreciate it and taken it all on board.

 

[NNYchick]

Trimurtisan cover a lot of it. One other thing to think about their housing is not only keep everything low but also they need to stay dry. Silkies feathers don’t repel water like other chickens feathers so they get soaked to the skin and take forever to dry, so secured coop and covered run is important.

 

[NoodlesMama]

I find my silkies to be friendly and they seem to enjoy my company. Like others have said they need a low roost or a ramp. The roost my silkies prefer is about 18 inches off the floor of the coop. I don’t think they could make it much higher without a ramp.

 

[CatWhisperer]

Welcome to BYC! If you are going to keep your silkies outdoors I would recommend you build a coop with their particular needs in mind. Prefab coops are generally not worth the money you pay for them and make poor homes for a short period of time. Do your research and build a predator proof coop and run. You will find all sorts of helpful information on this site. There are coop threads and silkie threads that you should read and follow. Plan for chicken math when you build, it is a very real thing. Have fun with the silkies!

 

[HuffleClaw]

I don't know if she has large fowl or bantam, but @HuffleClaw also owns Silkies and might be able to add a different perspective.

I have bantam silkies. They are just rather large for bantams

Trim, you pretty much covered it all!


I will add my silkies have no special coops built for them like others may think they need. They will get on fine just like any other breed.

 

[Lizzy733]

Silkies are amusing, but they really do tread a fine line with what can be defined as chicken. Their breed preference is more of a ground-dwelling lifestyle and they'd prefer an occasional stoop or wooden block over a climbing frame any day. Though they can be trained to heights with the right motivation and means to get there.
They are not prone to roaming and mine prefers only small free-range excursions before returning to the comfort of her run. They eat much less and poop less than the full-time egg layers and seem lazy at times as they do not forage as aggressively. They also tend to be less destructive to gardens and greenery. Their slower laying schedule really makes a difference in egg quality too. They may be smaller, but I find the yolks are richer and the overall flavor is quite distinct. Mine keeps a regular schedule - 12-18 eggs (one a day), then a month of brooding, then a month vacation from laying before going broody again. She is my loudest hen - ear poppingly loud at bed time as a chick and has a false crow that she whips out when on the lay. All other times, she's much quieter or chatty.
She is very trusting and I can handle her with ease, even when she's sitting a clutch of eggs. Plucking one out for a quick candle has never been a problem, nor has taking a chick for a check up. She's actually prone to falling asleep in my lap
They make great mothers though tend to neglect themselves when sitting a clutch. It's best to make sure they're getting off the nest daily and taking food and water, in my experience.
They also have a time with self-grooming. There's an entire article about grooming silkies - complete with dog whitening shampoo and flea combs. It's hard to not want to keep them at their fluffiest. At the least, they may need a bit of assistance with unjacketing their crest feathers. They're pretty weather smart, but should have a sheltered space they can retreat to when its raining and a run that's not in danger of flooding. All in all, they are an experience and you're in for an interesting time.