Silkie thread!

[Cerise1924]

A lovely little pullet.

I would love to know what you see that is pullet-ish.

I am new to Silkies, but was thinking pullet because of: -round crest -no streamers visible yet. - no arching in tail feathers -no pointy hackles -low posture. Are any of those indicators? Is there anything else?

 

[Cerise1924]

Sorry, that was a bit overly descriptive

That is horrifying! I am so sad for your poor chicken and for your loss.

It was hard to read, but it is an important warning about how brutal a hen attack can be.

I have two Red Stars who are sweethearts with humans, but who chased and terrorized our FBCM pullet when they were all free-ranging together, supervised. I will not ever leave a chick or pullet with those red devils, no matter how much I love them!

 

[LittleWhiteDove]

This is my Silkie named Sweet Heart. She is a year and half old. She truly is a sweety. I have had some people tell me she is non bearded, others say she is bearded and some say she is partically bearded (all because she doesn't seem to have a full beard.) What would all of you say?
I also would like to know if I can encourage her to go broody. If I collect a few eggs and store them for incubation then place them all back in the nest together in a nice size clutch will she sit on them?

 

[Minny]

Male or female?? Leaning towards female but questions remain.







boy or girl? Hoping for girl due to reasons below. hackle feathers pointy but then again, his mother's were too.
99.999999% sure this ones male.

That's a bearded one for sure. Some just have more of a beard than others. Just like differences between us humans I guess. I have a lil white silkie that I'm leaning towards female. The only thing that bothers me is what I deem are streamers.

Will post pic after. I also have a sizzle that I'm trying to sex but having a hard time. Mother was half silkie/cochin frizzle (I think) and Father was also a silkie/cochin frizzle. Has most of the silkie features. 5 toes, dark skin and somewhat walnut comb.

It's mother has a single comb and 4 toes, father had 5 toes but white skin.

I recall hatching my brother's eggs (half silkie/ISA brown). The males were all white skinned and red comb/wattles and the females were all dark skinned with walnut-ish combs.

Does this run true for silkie/cochin crossbreeds?

I have 2 more sizzles (parents were silkie/cochin roo and cochin - both frizzles), silkie features but white skin. All 3 are 2nd gen sizzle in my quest to join the sizzle club.

pics posted

 

[Sylvester017]

she is drinking my daughter was holding her for a hour yesterday and she was like purring at her but she doesn't move a hole lot where ever you put her she stay's she doesn't run away when you walk up to her she walks but don't run she is supposedly 2 years old! so I wouldn't think its because shes old but the chinkens cuddle her and she gets up and moves like she wants to be alone!

Whenever I get a new juvenile I isolate them for a quarantine period of 4 to 6 weeks -- usually in-house where we spoil it rotten and get to know the juvenile. The first day I get a new bird I immediately take a fecal sample to the vet for testing (worms/cocci/etc) and get the results by the next day so I can eliminate any easily-treated symptoms right away. Then if the juvenile shows any non-normal behavior I will make a vet appt to have him check her over. I've had new juveniles that the vet had to put down because they were so ill they didn't respond to treatment/medication. I had one juvenile that was shipped to me so worm-infested and also had cocci -- the vet tried to save her but had to put her down she was just too weak. With older/adult birds brought into a backyard flock it is even more imperative to have them looked over and tested by a vet during quarantine. A new bird should never be immediately integrated into an outdoor flock without a required minimum quarantine of 2 weeks at least. I've caught many things wrong with new birds shipped to me and glad I used a quarantine period to check them out before putting them with my flock. My vet always advises me on our visits to be sure to give chicken vitamins in addition to regular fortified chicken feed.

 

[Sylvester017]

I have like 15 places to hide! A hawk picked up my baby two feet away from me and I hit it with a rock and it dropped her she seems fine but I about had a heart attack!!! snow white is my favorite!! I would have been going to jail for a fine I can't pay if I could have been a little closer!! Thankfully she seems unfazed but is living in my shower and the others lock in the run! Hopefully she's not as delicate as people say silkies are!!! It's like my silkies don't understand to hide!! they play in there but not hide

When Silkies (or any chicken breeds) are young they aren't as aware of surroundings as the older adults. I've noticed the older our Silkies get (5 and 6 yrs old now) the better aware/alert they are to watching the sky or being aware of movements or sudden unfamiliar noises and they'll be the first to run and hide in a doghouse, or shelter, or under the coop. We notice the younger pullets learn from watching the older hens too.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I would love to know what you see that is pullet-ish.

I am new to Silkies, but was thinking pullet because of: -round crest -no streamers visible yet. - no arching in tail feathers -no pointy hackles -low posture.  Are any of those indicators? Is there anything else?

Pretty much all of that, by 20 weeks you would be seeing streamers and a much more pronounced tail. Sickles appear later on , as do saddle feathers.

 

[kellyloveschad]

Whenever I get a new juvenile I isolate them for a quarantine period of 4 to 6 weeks -- usually in-house where we spoil it rotten and get to know the juvenile. The first day I get a new bird I immediately take a fecal sample to the vet for testing (worms/cocci/etc) and get the results by the next day so I can eliminate any easily-treated symptoms right away. Then if the juvenile shows any non-normal behavior I will make a vet appt to have him check her over. I've had new juveniles that the vet had to put down because they were so ill they didn't respond to treatment/medication. I had one juvenile that was shipped to me so worm-infested and also had cocci -- the vet tried to save her but had to put her down she was just too weak. With older/adult birds brought into a backyard flock it is even more imperative to have them looked over and tested by a vet during quarantine. A new bird should never be immediately integrated into an outdoor flock without a required minimum quarantine of 2 weeks at least. I've caught many things wrong with new birds shipped to me and glad I used a quarantine period to check them out before putting them with my flock. My vet always advises me on our visits to be sure to give chicken vitamins in addition to regular fortified chicken feed.

she's two years old and my friend just treated hers and mine for me for everything her boyfriend is a farmer!

 

[kellyloveschad]

When Silkies (or any chicken breeds) are young they aren't as aware of surroundings as the older adults. I've noticed the older our Silkies get (5 and 6 yrs old now) the better aware/alert they are to watching the sky or being aware of movements or sudden unfamiliar noises and they'll be the first to run and hide in a doghouse, or shelter, or under the coop. We notice the younger pullets learn from watching the older hens too.

I hope they do I am keeping them in the run for my on state of mind even know the hawk picking her up I think was worse on me and her!! she's my littlest and I think the only one that even knew it happened! when I took her back to the run she walked around crying until she was sure everyone was accounted for!!

 

[summerb123]

Hello! I'm spreading the word about my hen contest! I am going around and posting on many threads about it! so far we have no Silkie hens! I don't have any Silkies yet but will have some hopefully this spring!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1141306/hen-contest