Silkie size

[BayCityBabe]

We just adopted two Silkies. The owner said they are ten week old pullets. THEY ARE TINY. I have two 13 week old cockerals that are literally 2 1/2 times as big. My cockerals look full grown and these pullets are as big as the cockerals were at 4-5 weeks.
Is this normal? The guy said that he had been feeding them layer pellets. Do they just need some TLC - and some starter feed!?!

 

[Blisschick]

At 13 weeks many start their birds on layer pellets, but you don't have to really until they are a little older. If you feel they could use another month on starter crumbles, that would be okay. Silkies are slow to mature. I've gone as far as 5 months feeding mine crumbles.

There are two sizes of Silkies. For some reason, the American strains tend to be larger. I have two girls, one of each kind. The white girl is tiny, a true bantam, but the other girl is about half way in size between her and my standard EE's. The fluff hides the fact that she doesn't weigh a whole lot and is still fairly small.

 

[Smoky73]

Wow, they are no where near ready to lay, I would put them on a grower feed at least maybe boil up some eggs for them to eat as well.
Silkie females are generally smaller than the males, and I wouldnt guaranty you have females yet LOL.

 

[BayCityBabe]

Stacey & Cara,
Thanks.
These chickies may just be true bantams. I was a little concerned to be told that they have been fed layer pellets "for awhile now." Isn't there a problem with layer pellets & younger chicks? Too much calcium?
I have them on starter food, scrambled eggs and grapes. They are eating enthusiastically.

 

[Blisschick]

Just like any babies, they need extra protein and nutrients. Layer pellets don't have those, and yes, the nutrients in the layer pellets can be hard on the babies. I definitely wouldn't be feeding them layer food at this point.

(I realize in my earlier post I did the math wrong...you're saying your chicks are only a little over 3 months old, and I don't even feed mine layer pellets until they're at least 4 months.)

 

[tiki244]

American Silkies are larger? Is it that the 'other' silkies are a more 'show' type? Show silkies are smaller arn'te they?

I would like to know, because mine are small yet( a few weeks old), but I got them from a show person and I don't want the big ones.

 

[Blisschick]

Either one can be shown, from what I understand, and long as they fall under the correct standards for the breed. I personally don't mind the size as long as they aren't as big as, say, Big Bird.