Silkie question....(really stupid)

[Spookwriter]

Almost ashamed to even post this one. Looked for a column
for really, really stupid questions....

My 10 Silkies are now in an outside pen....(they were out of control,
trashing my living room) (They kept jumping out of their box at night.)

The question....Do Silkies need a "roost" at nights like other chickens?

Now don't laugh....I just don't know. They seem more to "Hop" than fly
like a chicken. If they need a roost, how high from the floor?

 

[key west chick]

My 2 silkies live with my goaties in the goatie box. They snuggle down in the shavings.

 

[Laurajean]

Wow, that has to be the dumbest question ever.... NOT! Don't be silly, nothing stupid about that. Mine are still chicks and I'm new to chickens, so I don't know details about roost specs, but I can tell you that my Silkie chicks love to perch on my finger. I have one literally perched on my forefinger as we speak while I type! He's bouncing up and down as I type and snoozing away.... I have actually learned to type with my left forefinger sticking straight out. The things we do for these little buggers.....

 

[Gonzo]

We're new to silkies too, and I was told that they do not roost.

 

[micaheart]

Hi. I've had several silkies as well as other chickens. My silkies do like to roost with my other chickens. They don't fly as well, and sometimes don't see as well due to their "fluff". I have a two level roost system, the first roost is about 2 feet off the ground and staggered a few inches in front of the second, and the second is about 4 feet. If they don't manage the higher roost on the first attempt they will work their way up. At the top level I do have a couple of size roosts to choose from. There is also a box with shavings at that level but they don't sleep in it. Hope that helps. Good luck!

 

[mycutekitties]

Our Silkies sleep in their boxes. They don't roost like our other chickens.

 

[Spookwriter]

Mine are EVIL!!! Mean, spoiled rotten...

They were cute during the day. Stayed in the box, no problem. Great
pets. We'd play with them.

But at night...they learned to hop out of the box and run around wrecking
the living room. Try letting 8-9 chickens flapping around your living room.
Funny part is we just remodeled the place last year. New rose colored carpet,
new furniture.

Chickens were giving it that lived-in feeling.

 

[suburbanminifarm]

Mine do not roost. I gave up a long time ago. They sleep in puppy piles together in the hay. To give them the "feeling" of roosting I put a 2 by 4 on the floor- literally on the hay- in one of their sleeping areas and a couple of them do perch on that.

 

[jujubean99]

My silkie roosts with the other chickens but we have a thicker roost (the stick they roost on is about 2-3 inches wide) so I think she just sits on that one. I say give your silkies the option to roost, and if they seem to like it, great. You could upgrade their roost or just leave it as is. If they don't take to it, just get rid of it and build them some other 'beds' on the ground

 

[suebee]

LOL!!!! So funny about the living room. No my silkies do not roost, rather, they hop up on a hay bale onto a low shelf w/ shavings. They do not fly either.