Silkie thread!

[Sylvester017]

I got these 3 today and I love them

Your girls need to be shown the judge's hold for picking up Silkies. A natural reaction of humans is to pick up chickens at the sides and squeeze if the chicken wriggles or flaps. The judge's hold will need training for both the chickens and the humans - scoop one hand under the front breast of the chicken and with the other hand hold the wings down from the top and then cuddle against your torso to make the chicken feel secure (this prevents having to pick up or squeeze on their reproductive sides). Our old 4-yr Silkie is very accustomed and calm about this method since we've been using it on her since she was a chick. Our large fowl came to be comfortable with the judge's hold too. It takes a little patience and practice since chickens naturally don't like to be held in any manner but they eventually come to trust you. Enjoy your new sweeties, and the girls too - Smiles.

 

[Nanna34]

Looks like they are a hit with the kids.

Yip they want to know when are we getting more

 

[Nanna34]

Your girls need to be shown the judge's hold for picking up Silkies.  A natural reaction of humans is to pick up chickens at the sides and squeeze if the chicken wriggles or flaps.  The judge's hold will need training for both the chickens and the humans - scoop one hand under the front breast of the chicken and with the other hand hold the wings down from the top and then cuddle against your torso to make the chicken feel secure (this prevents having to pick up or squeeze on their reproductive sides).  Our old 4-yr Silkie is very accustomed and calm about this method since we've been using it on her since she was a chick.  Our large fowl came to be comfortable with the judge's hold too.  It takes a little patience and practice since chickens naturally don't like to be held in any manner but they eventually come to trust you.  Enjoy your new sweeties, and the girls too - Smiles.

Thank You We will try it today. The Silkies are very tame jumps into our laps when we sit down

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thank You We will try it today. The Silkies are very tame jumps into our laps when we sit down

That's good. Just teach the girls not to squeeze and grasp from above, anything from above resembles a predator . I train mine from an early age to accept my hand between their legs and once they are happy with that , it's just a gentle lift.
My friends daughter frightened a rooster to death. She was trying to catch him with a sheet. She put the sheet over her shoulders and proceeded to catch him. Unfortunately I think he thought she was a very big bird and dropped dead . The little girl is devastated and now understands how powerful their fear of birds of prey is. You live and learn.

 

[Nanna34]

That's good. Just teach the girls not to squeeze and grasp from above, anything from above resembles a predator . I train mine from an early age to accept my hand between their legs and once they are happy with that , it's just a gentle lift.
My friends daughter frightened a rooster to death. She was trying to catch him with a sheet. She put the sheet over her shoulders and proceeded to catch him. Unfortunately I think he thought she was a very big bird and dropped dead . The little girl is devastated and now understands how powerful their fear of birds of prey is. You live and learn.

We have Australorps the girls know not to frighten them, we just need to get used to such small chickens lol I'm used to hens that are knee height not ankle height haha

 

[Fancychooklady]

We have Australorps the girls know not to frighten them, we just need to get used to such small chickens lol I'm used to hens that are knee height not ankle height haha

The one that got frightened to death was a full grown light Sussex roo. You'll be fine , your silkies are tame, but as you say , they are much smaller and more fragile than most breeds.

 

[jwhit26]

Hello! This thread is old so I hope I get some replies.

I have 12 Silkie chicks that are about 5 weeks old. I thought with the very warm weather they were ready for pasture, so I put a large chicken wire coop with a roof and one side blocked inside my pasture next to me RIR girls so they could get acquainted safely.

It seemed like all was well for the first few days, but after a rain storm my husband went out and our favorite 3 were dead!

I was heartbroken and felt terrible so I brought them all back into the brooder, even though the others were fine.

The silkies seem more fragile than our other chicks we have raised, so I was curious when anyone with Silkie experience thought we could try again? The weather this week will be cooler than our first try with highs in upper 70's/mid80's and lows in the 47-58 range.

Thoughts? I'd hate to lose any more of my precious babies. Here are a few pics for size/feathering reference.

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[jwhit26]

All the pics didn't come through so here's another.

 

[Kisune]

Silkie hens can tell if their own eggs are fertilized, right?

 

[silkiecuddles]

All the pics didn't come through so here's another.

They are adorable! I'm sorry to hear about the deaths! Silkies, being smaller, are more vulnerable especially in rain storms. If you leave them out during the day, make sure it isn't going to rain. I let mine out during the days, but if t starts raining I go gather them all up or put them under a rain shelter.