Silkie thread!

[I<3MyChickens-Jewel&Flash]

Also what color is this chickie

 

[I<3MyChickens-Jewel&Flash]

My other flock members.

 

[Iluvmysilkies]

Also what color is this chickie

Splash One of my favorite colors!

 

[Sylvester017]

Do you have silkies in with birds other birds cause I have had trouble putting my crosses in with them they pick them in the head attack them and are really mean to them do you have any advice?

I have stated many times in posts that LF weighing over 5 lbs are nasty to bantams/Silkies/smaller/weaker birds. I re-homed all my bully LF and only get under 5-lb breeds with known gentle temperaments to keep around our two Silkies. As pullets most LF are sweet but once they are full hens they can become nasty bullies - a 2.5-lb Silkie has no fighting advantage against a 6 or 7-lb bully LF. A lot of people with a BIG open free-range have disagreed but in my small backyard free-range situation and a small coop my Silkies don't have a lot of area to stay away from nasty LF.

It's especially dangerous for Silkies with their soft skull if they get pecked hard by taller heavy breed chickens. Ever feel the hard peck of an enthusiastically hungry LF? It has left bruises on my skin and bleeding cuts and that's not what you want around soft-skull Silkies.

You can do what you want but in our case we didn't have enough yard to separate LF from Silkies so we just re-homed the LF to an egg-seller friend. We have a 4.5-lb Buff Leghorn and a 5-lb APA Ameraucana with our two Silkies now. The LF pullets submit to the alpha Silkies but if that ever changes the LF will be re-homed. As I said most LF as pullets are usually sweet and gentle but by age 2 or 3 can suddenly become aggressive in the flock. We had one gentle White Leghorn for almost 3 years but after her last severe moult came out of it with aggression toward the whole flock - even her best friend Partridge Silkie. Her behavior didn't change and became progressively dangerous to the Silkies and we reluctantly re-homed her into a LF laying flock. If she could've settled down she would be giving a lot of eggs until well into her 6th or 7th year and have a forever home with us but we couldn't chance the aggression.

We re-homed some nice egg layers including Marans and White Leghorn. The size of eggs is not as important as having gentle breeds in our backyard. Next year we plan to get two Breda pullets that will probably only lay medium eggs but the birds are known gentle temperament weighing at about 4 lbs. - so we'll trial them around the 2.5-lb Silkies. Egg laying breeds under 4 lbs are usually wilder flightier birds (Jaerhons, Campines, Braekel or Gull types, Fayoumis, etc) so we stay away from those breeds. Exotics like Phoenix, Sumatras, Long-Tails, Cubalayas are smaller birds but are neither productive for eggs or they have too energetic temperaments around Silkies.

Hope this helps you in evaluating your current situation.

 

[Half Moon Ranch]

The kids are growing fast and this was their first venture outside the safety of the run.
Only a couple actually were brave enough and since we have hawks, I'm fine with that.
Fergus is the splash and Monte is in front.



They had a bodyguard in the form of our 8lb Pom Sadie who watches over all the chicks.
From the first time we introduced her to the Silkies when they were 1-1/2 weeks, she was very gentle, but curious.

Sadie had to get a sniff.



An audience....



Modelle



Abigail



The names are based on our best guesses.
Fergus might be Fergie and so on, so let us know if you see something we don't.
More pics coming later!

 

[workinnanie]

FANCYCHOOKLADY: I have silkies (11) plus 4 barred rock hens & one easter egger in a 30x40 horse barn converted into a chicken coop. In the spring, summer & fall they all free range together during the day & at night they return to their respective 1/2 of the barn they are penned in the winter. I will let them all share the whole barn on rainy days as my silkie rooster is boss & he goes after the big gals if they pick on his silkie girls! If it weren't for him, I would have to separate them more as they tend to be a bit mean.

 

[workinnanie]

Half-moon: Thanks for posting the pictures your chicks are pretty & Sadie is for sure a keeper ! We have a golden who watches over our flock. Priceless!

 

[CrazyChookLady5]

FANCYCHOOKLADY: I have silkies (11) plus 4 barred rock hens & one easter egger in a 30x40 horse barn converted into a chicken coop. In the spring, summer & fall they all free range together during the day & at night they return to their respective 1/2 of the barn they are penned in the winter. I will let them all share the whole barn on rainy days as my silkie rooster is boss & he goes after the big gals if they pick on his silkie girls! If it weren't for him, I would have to separate them more as they tend to be a bit mean.

haha your rooster sounds really sweet !!

 

[K Epp]

My 8 week old babies. The smaller is 6 weeks old. It is on the far right in the back.

 

[K Epp]