Silkie thread!

[Fancychooklady]

I agree. Mine live in an uninsulated coop and I don't provide them with a heat lamp. Out of all my poultry, they'd always be the ones out scratching around in the snow and they laid quite well in the cold. When its super hot outside, they sit around in the shade and pant, and I don't see many eggs.

I agree, the walnut comb , (as with rose combs ), makes them more 'cold hardy 'than star comb breeds. Heating coops can make them more susceptible to the cold , and weaken their immune system. So long as they have a covered area to keep out of the rain and a draft free , well ventilated coop they are happy.

 

[Sylvester017]

Is it bad to try and get a Silkie to go broody? I have a 21 week old Silkie that I was hoping would start laying soon (i've heard it takes much longer for silkies) and then go broody. Would it be bad to try and get her to go broody before she starts laying? Is it even possible to get her to go broody before she starts laying? I would like her to hatch a few eggs.....not very many.

Silkies can start laying as early as 5-1/2 months to as late as 13 months and usually don't do a good job of brooding their first time at it. So I would say no, don't force nature. My Silkies are unpredicatable about brooding or moulting times since my Silkies sit on a nest while either broody or moulting. Wait for a hen to brood naturally. She will lay for several weeks before she goes broody anyway. They lay up a clutch of eggs before going broody. There can be up to 3 unattended eggs in one nest and if a Silkie is not broody even the enticement of loose eggs in a nest isn't enough to get her broody if she's not ready to brood.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Silkies can start laying as early as 5-1/2 months to as late as 13 months and usually don't do a good job of brooding their first time at it.  So I would say no, don't force nature.  My Silkies are unpredicatable about brooding or moulting times since my Silkies sit on a nest while either broody or moulting.  Wait for a hen to brood naturally.  She will lay for several weeks before she goes broody anyway.  They lay up a clutch of eggs before going broody.  There can be up to 3 unattended eggs in one nest and if a Silkie is not broody even the enticement of loose eggs in a nest isn't enough to get her broody if she's not ready to brood.

Just to add to what SIL has said, broodiness is hormone driven and you can't manipulate that. Your silkie will brood throughout her life where and when she is ready. Broodiness is also very hard on their little bodies, sitting for weeks on end with little food and water can have a huge impact on their overall health. Might I suggest you buy one of those small incubators in the mean time.

 

[workinnanie]

We have silkies in a 30x40 pole barn with no heat or heat lamps. Minnesota winters get pretty cold. We have never had issues with frost bite or loss of birds because of the cold. We do keep a nice deep bed of wood chips on the floor & a few bales of straw around the edge of the barn. I worry more about the heat in the summers especially when the temp reaches 90!

 

[maddogdodge]

Thanks for your responses every one

I really appreciate it!

I doubt the cold weather will be a problem where I live. In the middle of winter, the lowest temps we might get would be at night and that would be around 2 degrees celcius (which i believe is around 36 fahrenheit).

I think I'll still give this a go because I've always loved silkies, however it sounds like unless I can get an adult one I won't be raising chicks with one until next year, so i'll have a think about that. If the silkie is continuously getting picked on in my group, then i'll either re-home the bully or find a new home for the silkie.

Thanks, and any other general advice you might have about keeping silkies is welcome

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks for your responses every one  I really appreciate it!

I doubt the cold weather will be a problem where I live. In the middle of winter, the lowest temps we might get would be at night and that would be around 2 degrees celcius (which i believe is around 36 fahrenheit).

I think I'll still give this a go because I've always loved silkies, however it sounds like unless I can get an adult one I won't be raising chicks with one until next year, so i'll have a think about that. If the silkie is continuously getting picked on in my group, then i'll either re-home the bully or find a new home for the silkie.

Thanks, and any other general advice you might have about keeping silkies is welcome 

Lol, I just realized your an Aussie. I'm in Tassie and have never had an issue with the cold and silkies. I have several large fowl breeds and find that bullying is more of a personality trait than breed specific. I have a little white silkie cockerel called ' Conan ' , I've seen him jump on a ducks back and he will take on any one that gives him curry.
If you can get a pullet around 20 weeks old she'll more than likely go broody for summer.

 

[lightchick]

Quote: I had heard that if they get high prolactin = broody. Is that true? Have you heard of that?
Can't you buy prolactin?

 

[Fancychooklady]

I had heard that if they get high prolactin = broody.   Is that true?  Have you heard of that?
Can't you buy prolactin?

Yes prolactin is the culprit, but in all honesty if you are prepared to inject your birds to mess with their hormones you should probably go back to ' store bought '
Eggs. I like the fact that my eggs are hormone and drug free.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/nov95/broodiness1195.htm?pf=1

 

[lightchick]

Quote: I don't want to mess with her hormones. I'll just have to figure something else out....

 

[Fancychooklady]

I don't want to mess with her hormones.  I'll just have to figure something else out....

Do you know of anyone that has space their incubator or perhaps you could borrow one.