Silkie Coop- ramp and other considerations?

[Ponypoor]

Good tip, thank you, I'll give it a shot!

They've been so good, no health scares other than one single morning of pasty butt the first week. At week five for three of them and week seven for the cochin, they're looking really close to ready to go out- I kept the heating lamp off for the first time last night and they seem fine- but I at least have to wait a few days for this storm to dissipate, and oh, maybe finish the coop Two of them (the cochin and the Polish) have immense amounts of energy so I feel bad having them in the small brooder much longer, though I let them run around the den at least twice a day to try to run some of that energy out. They really love randomly flying right at each other, and often the mellower silkie and Easter egger are stuck looking for a place to hide, poor girls, though they join in a bit. All in all a very entertaining first flock for me, and though they're pretty sweet with me, I wish they didn't always freak out when I grab them- is this common, even in chicks that will hop on you readily?

My two silkies are real pets, I can pick them up and they are pretty good about it. It takes time, when they were little they screamed blooming murder if you picked them up. Then they learnt that there was a food reward for being picked up hahaha. Now you can't get rid of them - more than once I have had my croissant stolen from my fingers while not paying attention here in the office - little brats!

Once they hit egg laying they will quiet down, my niece's three crazy wild 'barnyard-mix' pullets are nuts, real wild things, but they are getting ready to start laying and they have started following me around.... And of course food again is a great motivator hahaha!

My suggestion is to pick them up, then once they stop struggling let them down and give them a treat right away. Chickens are quite smart I have found.

 

[Boise-girls]

Most of my silkies sleep on a shelf, though a few prefer to roost. I do have a cinder block in the coop to make it easier for them to get up to the shelf. They have no problems navigating the ramp, though it is not steep and has traction tape added. Part of the issue for some silkies is they can not see very well, so trimming the fluff around their eyes can help.
Your birds are all very cute!

Traction tape! That's what I need - thanks! One of my Sebrights insists on roosting on the roof of a plastic dog house (the nesting box) inside the coop. She does a lot of slipping and sliding when getting up and down. Now I just need to figure out the best way to attach a decent roost to the top!

 

[RuthBaderGinsbird]

My suggestion is to pick them up, then once they stop struggling let them down and give them a treat right away. Chickens are quite smart I have found.

I will try this, thanks! The silkie has learned to jump in my lap for a treat...still not fond of being grabbed but she does struggle the least, and will calm down pretty quickly. The insanely energetic, clever Polish definitely knows to follow my hand, especially when I'm grabbing the others cause a treat will come, and will hop on top of my hand...still, doesn't like being grabbed. The Easter egger will walk onto my hand to let me give her an elevator ride down from the brooder to the floor...again, grabbing just not her thing. But, they're only five weeks old, so your mention of yours taking time makes me feel better, thank you!

 

[Ponypoor]

Traction tape! That's what I need - thanks! One of my Sebrights insists on roosting on the roof of a plastic dog house (the nesting box) inside the coop. She does a lot of slipping and sliding when getting up and down. Now I just need to figure out the best way to attach a decent roost to the top!

oh great now I have that song stuck in my head: 'Slip Sliding Away...'

Slip slidin' away
Slip slidin' away
You know the nearer your destination
The more you're slip slidin' away

 

[Ponypoor]

Let the silkies girl stay on the roost with the big girls last night and tonight. But just checked the hen house cam and saw Fluffy McNugget had been knocked down from the roost!!

Had to tromp out to the barn (it's freezing outside!) to make sure she was ok. She was, but 4' is a big drop in the dark for a wee silkie who can't fly worth you know what!

So I put her back on her ground roost and grabbed her sister also from the roost and stuffed her on the ground roost too. Better safe than sorry!

 

[RuthBaderGinsbird]

Thanks everyone for the advice ..I made the ramp as long as possible and little Joni Mitshell figured it out and got to the top on day 2. I haven't even gotten a chance to put down the traction tape yet (but I suspect it'll make her climb down way easier, she's a little hesitant).

 

[Ponypoor]

Thanks everyone for the advice ..I made the ramp as long as possible and little Joni Mitshell figured it out and got to the top on day 2. I haven't even gotten a chance to put down the traction tape yet (but I suspect it'll make her climb down way easier, she's a little hesitant).

OMG hahaha so cute

Forgot what they look like as youngsters

 

[RuthBaderGinsbird]

OMG hahaha so cute

Forgot what they look like as youngsters

She's so ridiculously tiny, I can't help being overprotective of my little girl

 

[Ponypoor]

She's so ridiculously tiny, I can't help being overprotective of my little girl

I have two silkies, they are 7 months old been laying eggs since about 5 months, when my cousin dropped off her 3 older hens for the winter my gals decided they were good mg to hang out with the big gals. They also are very bossy! They r half the size of the big gals but the silkies r the bosses! In fact I call the one 'mean old gal' hahaha.

Your wee one likely rules the roost

 

[Ponypoor]

She's so ridiculously tiny, I can't help being overprotective of my little girl

My two silkies getting for the night.