Silkie thread!

[BelleFarm]

Most likely, it depends on your birds though. Mine get along fine

 

[Emilyd]

Does anyone have a silkie cockerel that they would be willing to get rid of around north of boston or know of anyone who has silkies around that area. I currently have 5 silkies and I need a new rooster for the spring to hatch out some babies. Thanks!

 

[Oscarorpington]

i breed silver partridge silkies and have four birds i just started the first hatch and am wondering how to expand my breeder flock?

 

[chick rookie]

Looking for 4 pullets don't have to be laying yet but need to be female I already have 2 roo's, near Terre Haute In. area. dont need to be SQ. thanks

 

[kabhyper1]

Chick rookie, I may have some later this spring, I'll let you know.


Have any of you all bred polish with silkies? I got a polish chick today and my brain started making up cute little mixes lol.

 

[Sylvester017]

Can I throw a silkie into the mix with three other buff orps? They will all be young...about 6 weeks.

It didn't work for my friend who had 6 LF day-old chicks and kept my 2 day-old Silkie chicks with them. The Silkies were always picked on and kept hiding underneath things all day in the pen. They seldom ate or drank during the day. The Silkies ran out very early in the morning to grab some feed and water and when the larger Orp chicks rustled awake the Silkies dove undercover again most of the day. At roost time the Silkies darted out to get their feed and water when the LF chicks roosted. I wouldn't recommend mixing Silkies with ANY heavier breeds because the temptation is always present to bully smaller gentler fowl no matter how gentle tempered LF are reported to be. Orp chicks tend to be aggressive foragers sometimes nipping and picking on passersby whereas Leghorn chicks are independent foragers not really interested in other chicks but more interested in finding and scratching for food. Just something we experienced for ourselves and just passing on the info. Our overall experience is not to mix Silkies with any LF breeds that will grow over 5-lbs. The heaviest LF in our Silkie flock is a kooky spooky gentle 5-lb Ameraucana who submits to the older Silkies because she's not interested in flock politics. Our other gentle breed is a 4.5-lb Buff Leghorn which is calmer than White or Brown variety Legs. Many people love their Orps and think they are sweet gentle girls and they are by themselves but the temptation to bully is overwhelming and natural and a 2-lb Silkie doesn't have a chance to defend herself in flock politics against a 6 or 7-lb heavy LF.

 

[Sylvester017]

I know that people do ship live birds, however I have never done so, and I believe (not sure) it costs somewhere near a hundred dollars, maybe less/more, I'm not sure. I would have to look into that

I ordered a pair of pullets twice last year shipped from East Coast to West. The shipping is a base price, plus weight, plus zones, plus optional insurance. My 2 Leghorn juvies at 3 months cost $110 shipping. My 2 Ameraucana juvies at 2 months cost about $65 to ship. The Legs weighed more. I didn't want chicks shipped as I don't feel comfortable about shipping babies through the USPS as some shipments are flown cross country mail. With older juvies the breeder and I felt more comfortable about shipping them. It's so much fun to open the box and watch them poke up their heads to see what's going on. A mellow stress-down time in a kennel with feed and water and they are right as rain again. You do have to be in touch with the breeder with tracking numbers and call the post office 20x a day to make sure they call you for pickup and not have the mail carrier travel around with live birds in a hot mail truck all day. Not all USPS workers are sympathetic toward animals.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I run my silkies and bantams together with my LF and can honestly say that I have had no issues. Most of mine stick together in their breed groups by choice.
My silkies rear most of my babies and I guess that teaches them to respect the breed in general.

 

[subhanalah]

I run my silkies and bantams together with my LF and can honestly say that I have had no issues. Most of mine stick together in their breed groups by choice.
My silkies rear most of my babies and I guess that teaches them to respect the breed in general.

cos you know...If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!

 

[Sylvester017]

I run my silkies and bantams together with my LF and can honestly say that I have had no issues. Most of mine stick together in their breed groups by choice.
My silkies rear most of my babies and I guess that teaches them to respect the breed in general.

Fancychooklady - I envy your ability to have enough of one breed that they can be a flock by themselves but in my backyard and zoned area, 5 is the maximum hens allowed and no roos so we had to carefully choose how to mix Silkies with LF. Like you I believe the breeds do navigate together and being in groups usually aren't bothered by other breed groups in the same area. However in our little backyard it is crucial not to have one huge LF among a couple 2-lb Silkies. Heavy LF like Orps, 'Lorps, etc though gentler tempered can still be tempted to bully smaller gentler bantams just because they can in a small yard situation - sadly experienced this when a 7-lb Marans viciously attacked a POL Silkie who screamed. The Marans also went after the alpha Leghorn. Needless to say she was instantly re-homed to an egg seller. No more breeds over 5-lb in the flock now and only docile types.

As for Silkies brooding other fowl - they will brood ANYTHING and hatch a snake egg if it was in their nestbox. My Partridge tried to brood a cucumber slice and another found a faux plastic egg to set so I don't think it's other breeds they respect so much as the opportunity to be a momma period. With their diminutive stature it probably makes the little buggers feel important to show off offspring of any kind - LOL!