Silkie thread!

[Colie <3]

Quote:
Regardless of quality I think silkies are the some of the sweetest, cutest chickens out there!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Colie <3 :

Quote:
Regardless of quality I think silkies are the some of the sweetest, cutest chickens out there!

~ Aspen​

 

[Teresaann24]

I agree all silkies of any quality are the sweetest and are loved by their owners just as much. I have ran into alot of people that do not like the vaulted skulls or huge crest or large foot feathering.

 

[laughingdog]

love everything else, now that experiancing the traits, and warming up to the crest idea (just never seen it before being on here like they can be). could the crests be why some say poor layers, and why such good broodies, as would maybe seem darker to them?

 

[Colie <3]

Quote:
The crests can and do often interfere with their vision. I've heard many stories of people trimming their crests back in some way and noting a real personality change in the bird. I think the laying and broody aspect is ingrained in them as an individual and as the breed and doesn't have to do with the crest. However I've noticed that silkies much like any other bird will cut back drastically on their laying if they are unhappy or stressed in someway For example when you ship laying girls in and they don't lay again for another month or so. Or at my house I had a pullet that had a large crest. The roo she was with was very assertive with her and she couldn't see well enough to dodge him and keep away. I found her in the corner of the pen often staying out of the way. As soon as I pulled her from the pen away from the bully roo she started laying again almost immediately. I think trimming her crest would have also helped in that situation.

Just my thoughts I might be off on my opinions but that's just what I've seen in my short time with silkies.

 

[robin416]

Colie <3 :

Quote:
The crests can and do often interfere with their vision. I've heard many stories of people trimming their crests back in some way and noting a real personality change in the bird. I think the laying and broody aspect is ingrained in them as an individual and as the breed and doesn't have to do with the crest. However I've noticed that silkies much like any other bird will cut back drastically on their laying if they are unhappy or stressed in someway For example when you ship laying girls in and they don't lay again for another month or so. Or at my house I had a pullet that had a large crest. The roo she was with was very assertive with her and she couldn't see well enough to dodge him and keep away. I found her in the corner of the pen often staying out of the way. As soon as I pulled her from the pen away from the bully roo she started laying again almost immediately. I think trimming her crest would have also helped in that situation.

Just my thoughts I might be off on my opinions but that's just what I've seen in my short time with silkies.

You might not have had them long but your ability to observe and translate what you're seeing with your flock is what is going to make it so much easier for you. And others will wish they could do.

Broodiness is hormone driven. Some breeds have more on switches when it comes to completing the cycle of laying, brooding, hatching. It has nothing to do with the crest. (this was in answer to laughing dog)​

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
The crests can and do often interfere with their vision. I've heard many stories of people trimming their crests back in some way and noting a real personality change in the bird. I think the laying and broody aspect is ingrained in them as an individual and as the breed and doesn't have to do with the crest. However I've noticed that silkies much like any other bird will cut back drastically on their laying if they are unhappy or stressed in someway For example when you ship laying girls in and they don't lay again for another month or so. Or at my house I had a pullet that had a large crest. The roo she was with was very assertive with her and she couldn't see well enough to dodge him and keep away. I found her in the corner of the pen often staying out of the way. As soon as I pulled her from the pen away from the bully roo she started laying again almost immediately. I think trimming her crest would have also helped in that situation.

Just my thoughts I might be off on my opinions but that's just what I've seen in my short time with silkies.

You might not have had them long but your ability to observe and translate what you're seeing with your flock is what is going to make it so much easier for you. And others will wish they could do.

Broodiness is hormone driven. Some breeds have more on switches when it comes to completing the cycle of laying, brooding, hatching. It has nothing to do with the crest. (this was in answer to laughing dog)

X2

I currently have a large fowl barred rock who is as broody as I have ever seen in a silkie!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
That's okay--unless you plan on showing, the personality and the characteristics YOU enjoy are the most important.

 

[Colie <3]

Quote:
The crests can and do often interfere with their vision. I've heard many stories of people trimming their crests back in some way and noting a real personality change in the bird. I think the laying and broody aspect is ingrained in them as an individual and as the breed and doesn't have to do with the crest. However I've noticed that silkies much like any other bird will cut back drastically on their laying if they are unhappy or stressed in someway For example when you ship laying girls in and they don't lay again for another month or so. Or at my house I had a pullet that had a large crest. The roo she was with was very assertive with her and she couldn't see well enough to dodge him and keep away. I found her in the corner of the pen often staying out of the way. As soon as I pulled her from the pen away from the bully roo she started laying again almost immediately. I think trimming her crest would have also helped in that situation.

Just my thoughts I might be off on my opinions but that's just what I've seen in my short time with silkies.

You might not have had them long but your ability to observe and translate what you're seeing with your flock is what is going to make it so much easier for you. And others will wish they could do.

Broodiness is hormone driven. Some breeds have more on switches when it comes to completing the cycle of laying, brooding, hatching. It has nothing to do with the crest. (this was in answer to laughing dog)

Thanks for that Robin

I agree broodiness "Is, what it is" Some breeds rarely ever go broody which I think really is a shame for the breed in general but on the other hand fighting a broody can be frustrating! I have one right now that refuses to break. She's in the coop in a hanging cage but what is she doing? Sitting there in the corner of the crate in a trance still after a week plus lol Gotta admire the dedication right?

 

[laughingdog]

just had thought about getting one roo who i wanted to keep, if got batch of eggs, and later just giving him a mohawk! funny thought to me, but probably horribly cruel sounding to you all silkie lovers.