Silkie thread!

[Chickie Momma]

@I<3Mychickens: I am so sorry abt Isaac. Sounds like a racoon to me...they can be pretty big.

 

[I<3MyChickens-Jewel&Flash]

I agree. I'll have to take care of them. Prollybtrap and release. At a far away place

 

[Suzierd]

What animal killed my chicken?

it was around 7. I heard him scream and then heard him being dragged far away.

a few feathers I found. The next morning I went and saw a part of my Isaac . It was his wing and gizzard part. Crop was partially there. Head was ripped off.

I feel I could of done something. I feel so bad. My chickens won't even go outside. I don't blame them.

Sounds like a Raccoon

 

[ChickensXOXO]

I haven't posted on here in a very long time.
Just wanted to share a few pictures again.

This was my pair, Micah and Chloe.
But sadly, Micah passed away a few weeks ago.



I don't have many silkies, but I am glad I have one pullet from them.
Foxy was the cutest chick.



She's around 9 months old now.

 

[purpleponichic]

My sweet little Leona~Silky/Cochin cross

 

[purpleponichic]

Leona <3 Silky/Cochin cross

Leona just started laying last weekend and laid 6 eggs in her first week!! So cute spreckly cream colored next to my big ladies' eggs

 

[BuckNBark Farm]

I haven't posted on here in a very long time.
Just wanted to share a few pictures again.

This was my pair, Micah and Chloe.
But sadly, Micah passed away a few weeks ago.



I don't have many silkies, but I am glad I have one pullet from them.
Foxy was the cutest chick.



She's around 9 months old now.

Wow- they are beauties

So sorry about Micah- he was gorgeous!

-Pam

 

[Suzierd]

I haven't posted on here in a very long time. Just wanted to share a few pictures again. This was my pair, Micah and Chloe. But sadly, Micah passed away a few weeks ago. I don't have many silkies, but I am glad I have one pullet from them. Foxy was the cutest chick. She's around 9 months old now.

Very sorry about Micah such a beautiful guy. They are all amazing! Glad you popped in.

 

[Sylvester017]

Sylvester, I don't think it's a color thing. Your black silkie is smarter, sociable, etc. etc. because he was raised by a breeder who chose the parents, and spent time & gave attention to the brood. The porcelain came from a hatchery, and probably had none of those advantages.

Thank u drumstick diva - it didn't make sense to me either that color would have anything to do w/ a hardier chicken but there it was in black and white (so to speak) on the internet so it MUST BE TRUE, not! LOL

Silkies are so popular and there are so many breeders in the USA that it's hard for me to say this breeder or that breeder is best. Here on the West Coast I tend to like Amber Waves Silkies. They have beautiful birds, a clean farm, a nice website, & have even been televised in Lori Spelling's reality TV show. As busy as the couple is, they have always been courteous to help out w/ Silkie advice.

Bearded Silkies - these little birds are more than just a show hobby. They are resilient in heat or cold, personable, useful IMO for their eggs, excellent parents, forage to the point of making the LF look lazy, alert, gentle but not wimpy. One of the most beautiful poultry eye candy in the world! We just finished educating some new Silkie owners who fell in love w/ them at first sight & consulted us for basic advice. Silkies attracted much attention & stole the poultry show at our local County Fair.

 

[Sylvester017]

I have bad news. My Isaac , a white silkie who was around 4 months was killed. Some animal came in back door of garage and took off with him. All I heard was screams that soon faded. So sad.

So-o-o VERY sad. I ache to hear yet another sweet bird was predator bait! You must be in a very rural area to have a chicken stolen. Sweet little Silkies can't fly up for safety & at 4-months aren't completely predator-savvy yet. We Silkie owners are grieving w/you.

We have a suburban fenced yard yet stray dogs that try to break in or the neighborhood Cooper's or Red-tailed hawks can make our girls skip a heartbeat. We've setup several very low shelters scattered round the backyard so the girls can dive undercover from the flying menaces. We've made extra recessed gates to keep the girls from being visible to the front of the house where dogs are walked all hours. There are racoons that scurry into the street storm-drains that panic us but we've so far not seen one in the yard. Crafty racoons are nasty large creatures so we allow our girls to free-range so they aren't sitting prey in an enclosure. At night we keep floodlights on & that seems to help keep rodents away as well as larger night pests.

One of our breeders got tired of losing their show birds & vulnerable chicks to hawks, foxes, racoons, opossum, stray dogs & ultimately invested in 2 flock/guard dogs (rather than family-pet dogs) to watch their birds 24/7. We are still debating the need for a yard dog since there is waste factor to consider in an area foraged by chickens. We all do the best we can for our birds w/ the best resources available to us but can't beat ourselves up if or when nature takes its nasty toll.