Silkie question

[Sharon Barrett]

Are Silkies chickens treated different then regular chickens? I have never owned a Silkies before and have read they like to be around people. That they like attention and can be hand fed. Are they best brought into the house in the winter time from the barn. I get minus 30 degree weather and don't want them to freeze to death, and I am scared of heat lamps in the barn. Do you bath them regularly or just when they get dirty? Someone please tell me about Silkies. Sharon

 

[Spiderduck]

Ooh. Well i have always wanted a silkie because of thier beauty.

Lucky i knew someone who traded me a silkie for a rooster of mines (i had one to many anyway).

She is snow white and very cute.
I do wash her in warm water using baby shampoo like johnsons to clean the dirt but i only do it maybe once a year.
She cleans herself pretty well and i just clean her up because she looks amazing all fresh and white!!

I treat her the same as my other red rhode island hens and other mixed breeds.

She eats the same, drinks the same.

Mines is sociable enough and when i first got her yes she loves the hairdryer but in cold weather keeping her indoors is best.
Im not sure the tempreture they can handle because here in the uk is it mild. Like coldest -10 warmest 28.
Definitly get one!

 

[Spiderduck]

This is my silkie peggy or i call her princess for obvious reasons.

 

[LilJoe]

Silkies were bred to withstand very cold whether so..
I guess it depends if they can take it or not

 

[LilJoe]

@silkieRaiser

 

[Spiderduck]

@silkieRaiser

Is that your rooster in your profile picture??

He is so handsome

 

[silkieRaiser]

Mine grew up with some buff Orpingtons, and they are exactly the same. No need to treat them differently except if you give your chickens baths, you should towel your silkies off if its not super sunny out instead of letting them air dry because their feathers aren't waterproof. You don't need to blow-dry them but I sometimes do because its cute My silkies are fine during the winter even when it snowed like 5 inches. Maybe if it's pretty cold you should maybe put a temporary heater in there but where I live it doesn't get that cold. If they're in a barn, they'll be fine, just like other chickens. Same food, same water.
~Salad

 

[LilJoe]

Is that your rooster in your profile picture??

He is so handsome

No....
I wish!!
When my FBCM cockerel crows a lil' more he'll be my avatar1