SILKIE COOPS??

[TheEggCollecter]

LOVE your silkie coop, I am getting a couple of silkies in a few weeks! I can wait!

 

[suebee]

Thanks and excited for you and your upcoming silkies. People don't think that silkies are intelligent but I disagree. Unless you show them you should trim around their eyes so they can see. I find it cruel not to. Mine are pretty smart, I open the pop door to the teenager pen and only the teenagers come out. I then go around to the chick pen and open their pop door...only mom and babies go out. I go to the front pop door and let all the adults out to free range for the day. Silkies are adorable and pretty smart in my opinion.

 

[TheEggCollecter]

Oh yes definitely! All chickens are intelligent no matter what they look like. I won't be showing these girls. Just for pleasure pets. Thanks for the advice

 

[KV Silkies]

Thanks and excited for you and your upcoming silkies. People don't think that silkies are intelligent but I disagree. Unless you show them you should trim around their eyes so they can see. I find it cruel not to. Mine are pretty smart, I open the pop door to the teenager pen and only the teenagers come out. I then go around to the chick pen and open their pop door...only mom and babies go out. I go to the front pop door and let all the adults out to free range for the day. Silkies are adorable and pretty smart in my opinion.

how tough is it to trim around their eyes? I am already nervous.... lol

 

[suebee]

Trimming eyes is my least favorite chore. If you can't see their eyes looking even with them then they need trimming. I sit at a picnic table so I'm level with their body. I cradle with one arm and gently grasp the crest exposing the eye. With the other hand I trim above the eye. Below the eye is just important. I use the cradle position and use my fingers to part the lower feathers and trim. I just trim enough so it's like a mushroom...don't trim the crest.

They hate it but you won't believe the difference it makes for their well being. They get happy, confident, and even healthier since they can see food, water, bugs, etc.

I use small sharp scissors. I'd love to find some with rounded ends for safety but kid's scissors won't work.

 

[mysterychick]

I have a quick little Silkie qu. We have 2 silkies, plus some other chicks, who are now exactly three weeks old. Today we added a brand new one day old EE bantam (from the same hatchery). We first put the EE in her own brooder, but she looked lonely so we tried adding the 2 silkies in there with her. The two silkies took to her immediately, and even at three weeks are nurturing her like she is their chick. It is ridiculously sweet actually, as our white one is sitting over her with her snuggled under her wing. My question, though, is could I possibly overheat the silkies? We had steadily been turning down our brooder heat as the silkies and other chicks got older. The brooder for the tiny EE though is now set to 95 degrees. The silkies look fine and are hanging out with the baby chick under the light, but I just worry I should turn it down, especially since the EE is snuggling up under the silkies anyway. I'd appreciate advice please!!!

 

[suebee]

I've never heard of a 3 wk old silkie taking care of a day old chick. Wow! I would lower the temp to 80 degrees. Believe me, they rather be a bit too cold than too hot. My babies were out w/ broody mom in 35 degree weather just a month ago and are fine.

 

[mysterychick]

I've never heard of a 3 wk old silkie taking care of a day old chick. Wow! I would lower the temp to 80 degrees. Believe me, they rather be a bit too cold than too hot. My babies were out w/ broody mom in 35 degree weather just a month ago and are fine.

OK thank you!!! I will go do it now. She is seriously taking care of that chick. It is the most ridiculously sweet thing I have ever seen. My whole family was captivated. We first put a different 3 week chick in there (not a silkie) and it just walked right over the top of the new chick as though it didn't even see it. Then we tried the white silkie and instantly they cuddled up and the EE nestled under her. The silkie then fluffed herself up and spread her wings and nestled down on her. It has been a good few hours now and they are inseparable and the tiny EE keeps popping her head up out of underneath the silkie. We have a blue in there too and she is being friendly and gentle with the EE, but the white one is literally mothering it. I am not sure what we are in for with this white silkie lol as she might just be broody 100% of the time lol. I honestly have never seen anything sweeter though.
Anyway, off to turn down the heat a bit. Thanks a ton for the input!!! I figured I probably should since the little EE is definitely getting body warmth from her little 3 week old surrogate mommy!

 

[suebee]

Again, unbelievable that a 3 week old is doing this. The usual behavior would be to peck them away. That's why I love silkies, you never know what you're in for. They surprise me all the time, but not like your story.... A first for sure! Let us know how it goes.