Silkie Problems ?

[Daidohead]

I am going to be looking for a pair of silkies for my wife. Are there any problems perticular to Silkies that I need to watch for as I am looking at birds ? Thank you

 

[canada-goose]

I don't think so.

You might need to trim their head feathers so they can see, though.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Yes, they do have sight restrictions. The larger their crests, the more trouble they have watching for predators or other birds. Although, what others may say, I find that the higher quality ones tend to be pretty fragile and, at times, more prone to illness. Just watch out for any troubling signs.

Also, a warning from an owner who had this same mistake made; crested fowl do much better when kept separate from non-cresteds. It wasn't until a few months ago that we ran into trouble, and let me tell you, bullying is very hard to stop once it begins. Best keep a separate pen for them or else take a risk.

 

[Daidohead]

Thank you both for the advice. They will have their own coop with a reserved spot in the yard. I have no doubt that Charlotte will pamper these birds beyond belief. She actually painted the toenails on one of my EE's,

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I think fragility has been associated more with specific lines than as an overall fragility of the better birds. I have an 8 year old hen who is very nice; offspring of my first two silkies (that I bought from Alan). I lost both parents last year

They were my babies, hatched in July 2001. I have several others who are nearly as old.

Trim the feathers that block vision (use baby nail scissors). I find that muff feathers are more often the culprit than crest feathers.

If she has any interest in showing, make sure to get a bird who meets that standard as closely as possible. I've never had non-silkies pick on my birds, but I have noticed that birds that are raised and only ever spend time with their same breed and variety tend to be rather discriminatory towards other varieties and probably breeds. Dare I say they are racist. While birds that are raised with a variety of varieties seem to have less issues integrating. I have quite a mix of birds, and the only time they are separated by breed and variety is when they are in breeding pens. I raise babies all mixed together, and they usually have a hen or rooster to parent them.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
The big question is whether or not she added decals or "jewels."

You might want to explore chickendiapers.com and get a few of them for her, too