Silkie thread!

[aoxa]

Help me please guys and girls. I am pulling my hair out trying to figure out what size coop to build for my 16 silkie hens and 1 rooster. They are currently sleeping in a small coop thats from the grow out pen. They have plenty of room to pile at night (but just enough room). They have a 10X10 covered run and 20X20 extra run thats not covered. I know they say silkies and bantams in particular can get by with less space but I dont want them cramped up either. I want them to have enough room but not go overboard. What does everyone suggest ?

I think that is plenty of room.

23 square feet per bird in the run and almost 6 square feet in the coop is a whole lot. Especially since the run is covered.

More is always better, but you have lots of room. I do think you need an extra rooster. You should ALWAYS have a backup boy

Plus one silkie rooster will have a hard time keeping 16 hens fertile.

 

[aoxa]

I perfectly picture the scene

On a serious note I think all chickens eat poop, some more than others. They probably enjoy your treats so much than they gotta found some more lol.

My chicks all taste, but quickly learn it's nasty and stop.

My silkies step in poop, sleep under roosting chickens and often get pooped on, but they never just eat it.

 

[Clover Run]

I am looking for a few white show quality ladies - I am in Maine - I have 2 fabulous white roos - one from Sunshine and the other from Kate Morelle.

I also have 4 gorgeous black pullets and a blue hen (already a reserved feather champion) So - as you can see I need a black roo as well.

I am in Maine - anyone have anything I will be showing all of my birds in the spring - and any new additions as well - thanks for your help

 

[Sanna]

Dirty breakfast face

I have a 8 x 12 coop for mine. I have it divided into breeder pens because I have 4 roosters. I am planning to reconfigure because it is getting cramped with feed and bedding bins and I need a nice growout pen. We arent finished with the fencing for the runs. I figure I can comfortably house 20 with room for growing out some chicks.

I would love to have something like that for my chickens!

One of these things is not like the others

What kind of a mix is the black one??

I have 3 silkies and this weekend I discovered they were HEAVILY infested with red mites. I think they came in on the new hay bale I picked up from the feed store.

I spent last night dusting them with Sevin dust, and spent all of today bathing them with flea shampoo, blow-drying, re-dusting, and feeding them scrambled egg and liver to try and help them make more red blood cells. I'm pretty sure they are anemic, and they seem kind of thin to me. I also think it knocked down their immune systems because they are having a CRD flare-up.

I'm positive this is because they sleep on the floor. Is there anything I can do to help prevent them from getting so heavily infested again? I cleaned out the bedding, dusted the floor and fresh bedding(no hay this time, just shavings) and coop corners as well, but I'm in the middle of integrating so I'll have to do a deeper de-mite clean after she's joined the group.

Has anyone successfully roost-trained their silkies? I can build one their height, but will they use it?!

I never had to train mine, they teach each other. They have a little three step ladder type of thing in their coop. Half of the gang sits on the top perch at night, the rest of them lay on the shavings underneath and get pooped on.

It's not like they don't have enough space and sleep somewhere else. They must enjoy being pooped on in the middle of the night. I'm thinking of moving the ladder just to see if that changes anything.

For the red mite problem. I have never had red mites on any of our birds so unfortunately I wouldn't know what to say to that. Hope you can get the buggers all under control!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: And that should be plenty IMO. I think the 7 is combined space.

 

[peepblessed]

I have a 8 x 12 coop for mine. I have it divided into breeder pens because I have 4 roosters. I am planning to reconfigure because it is getting cramped with feed and bedding bins and I need a nice growout pen. We arent finished with the fencing for the runs. I figure I can comfortably house 20 with room for growing out some chicks.

Super nice!!

One of these things is not like the others

Haha!!

After the rain, the girls enjoyed free ranging

Such beautiful girls!!

I only have 2 Silkies, they are broodies for hatching my call duck eggs.

Thelma





Louise

Pretty broodies!!

Here are a few new chicks - 3 days old. A partridge, a blue, and maybe a black.

Great shots! Adorable!!

I gotta ask you experienced Silkie chick folks, is it normal for them to eat poo. My 2 batches of LF chicks never did this to the extent that the Silkies do. I mean one poops and they all swarm it, including the pooper. They have plenty of food and water. My DW and I are thinking it is weird, is it normal. We are learning that Silkies are different in many ways.

I see new babies test it a bit but not after that...

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Sorry

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

I am looking for a few white show quality ladies - I am in Maine - I have 2 fabulous white roos - one from Sunshine and the other from Kate Morelle.

I also have 4 gorgeous black pullets and a blue hen (already a reserved feather champion) So - as you can see I need a black roo as well.

I am in Maine - anyone have anything I will be showing all of my birds in the spring - and any new additions as well - thanks for your help

I hope you can find what you are looking for.... Would you mind sharing some pictures?

 

[moncktj]

 

[aoxa]

Mumsy,

Are you there at all? Everyone's asking about you and Johnny