Silkie thread!

[kabhyper1]

Wow, that looks disgusting!

Agreed.

No, just, no. I can't get that image out of my head.

I just went over and cuddled my babies in the brooder in my living room lol. It helped get that picture out a little.

 

[K Epp]

I could eat your birds no problem but not any of the ones I have raised. I tell mine as long as they are nice and well behaved they are safe. Evedintly they listen because I have about 15 roos and all have been pleasant. (knock on wood). Now one of my turkeys did get feisty and try to chase me today. I threw the food bucket at him kicked him in the butt and chased back. I was thinking We may have turkey for Christmas Diner. Although I really need him to breed with.

 

[RockerHen]

I could eat your birds no problem but not any of the ones I have raised. I tell mine as long as they are nice and well behaved they are safe. Evedintly they listen because I have about 15 roos and all have been pleasant. (knock on wood). Now one of my turkeys did get feisty and try to chase me today. I threw the food bucket at him kicked him in the butt and chased back. I was thinking We may have turkey for Christmas Diner. Although I really need him to breed with.

How strange, one of my 7 month old jakes did the same thing to me today. I think it's the food bucket, he only gets aggressive when I'm carrying it. It's like he's trying to punk me into dropping it. Doesn't matter, however, the sentence for human aggressive animals here is the same: death. There's too many nice birds out there for me to deal with a nasty one. He's getting a little more time to gain some more weight, then he's destined for the oven. I have 5 other jakes to choose my breeders from, he won't be missed. none of my silkies yet have ever been human aggressive. They know what's good for them

 

[K Epp]

Well the dominant tom was in barn with goats. After I let him out the other was to busy running from him. My silkies are all babies. The roos are about 6mths ans still no issues.

 

[Urchin]

I've been reading up on Silkies- I plan to get some.

My question is: as docile and socialble Silkies are reputed to be, is having more than one roo an issue? Will they fight? I would prefer one roo and a couple of hens (ideally). If I were to buy online and the company only offers straight runs, and I end up with more than one male, will that be a problem? I've been going through my chicken breed books and even a Silkie book, and none of them make mention of keeping roos together.

Appreciate any advice!

--Mollie

Hopefully I'm not too late on this one. I have a total of six roosters --five silkie, one cochin-- who all live together with a flock of both bantams and LF.. They get along just fine. I've never had anything more serious than some chest bumping happen and that's pretty much stopped now that they've figured out their pecking order.

My coop and yard are both large, so the roosters are not on top of each other. Everyone has enough space to get away from other roosters if needs be. I think that's key, too. They'd probably harass the hens and injure each other if they were packed in a small space like sardines.

You also have to have enough hens for all of them or the hens will end up getting overbred. I have twenty-four hens, which appears to be enough for the roosters. Except I do have one rooster who will only pursue a certain hen. He's like totally smitten with her and I've never seen him do the rooster dance for, or try to mount anyone else. He'll even bring her treats. If you get a rooster like that, you'll probably have to make sure he's not bothering his favorite hen too much.

 

[Mollie4dogs]

Hopefully I'm not too late on this one. I have a total of six roosters --five silkie, one cochin-- who all live together with a flock of both bantams and LF.. They get along just fine. I've never had anything more serious than some chest bumping happen and that's pretty much stopped now that they've figured out their pecking order.

My coop and yard are both large, so the roosters are not on top of each other. Everyone has enough space to get away from other roosters if needs be. I think that's key, too. They'd probably harass the hens and injure each other if they were packed in a small space like sardines.

You also have to have enough hens for all of them or the hens will end up getting overbred. I have twenty-four hens, which appears to be enough for the roosters. Except I do have one rooster who will only pursue a certain hen. He's like totally smitten with her and I've never seen him do the rooster dance for, or try to mount anyone else. He'll even bring her treats. If you get a rooster like that, you'll probably have to make sure he's not bothering his favorite hen too much.

No, not late at all. Thank you so much for your input. I feel more confident about my choices now. I'm starting work on a new coop/run and it's good to get info on what I can keep in it and make sure I'm providiing a good environment for my chickens.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I used to have a small self-selected flock within my free ranging birds that always stayed together--wandering hte yard, eating, sleeping, etc. The only time they mixed with the other free-rangers was as a unit. Four roosters and one hen.

 

[Ramblin Rooster]

agreed X3. if I saw that black meat on my plate I wouldnt be able to stomach it. my silkies are so sweet and innocent....I coundnt imagine eating them when they've done nothing to me! ive gone to Asian markets around here and in VA.....wow. the sell silkies.....in a plastic wrapped container.....plucked.....heads still on. I coulnt imagine eating this.....if anyone does, sorry for my opinions....:/

Agreed. They're so cute and fluffy. Plus I don't know if I'd want to eat purple meat... Just my opinion

 

[Suzierd]

I have a black young Silkie that is getting a little brown/red leakage in the hackles, does that mean boy?

 

[jajeanpierre]

Agreed. They're so cute and fluffy. Plus I don't know if I'd want to eat purple meat... Just my opinion

What purple meat????

Chinese cooking marinates a lot of things in soy and other sauces which can make even white grocery-store chicken black.

Here is a picture of three Silkie carcasses. When cooked, the meat was darker than white chicken breast, of course, but not very different from dark leg meat except for the very thin layer of pigment where the meat lays against the bone. Even the "black" bones are not as black as the literature suggests. Don't feel sorry for these Silkies--they died of an acute case of testosterone poisoning.


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