Silkie thread!

[AnRamire]

Anyone in NY want a black Silkie cockerel? He is still a baby and I'm not sure it's a boy but pretty sure cause he is bigger these the rest that hatched his age. Willing to just give him away if someone wants him.

wish i lived closer

 

[Britras]

Hi! I just got five silkie bantams? today and I don't really know much about them yet. Are they all white? Some have fluffier heads then others. All are adorable! The guy said they were labeled Silkie Bantam Mix but of course didn't know what that meant either. Any info on them would be great! In the meantime I start reading up!

Awe cuties!! Did they come from a feed store/hatchery? They all look like white gold based I find the light chipmunk pattern indicates the white is hiding partridge so if you ever breed them to other colors you may get partridge

 

[yoopergirl1211]

Awe cuties!! Did they come from a feed store/hatchery? They all look like white gold based I find the light chipmunk pattern indicates the white is hiding partridge so if you ever breed them to other colors you may get partridge

Yeah tractor supply. My daughter wanted some. Thank you!!

 

[DianeClare]

I would love to say read all 6,000+ pages of this Silkie thread to thoroughly learn about Silkies but then maybe your granddaughter can do it to learn about her birthday presents. First thing, learn the "judge's hold" for picking up hens of any breed -- you don't want to grab them from their reproductive sides. Takes practice for both humans and birds to get accustomed and my birds are very used to it now. The following youtube video shows how to pick up a chicken under it's chest and hold it's legs with fingers --

Since Silkies, like most bantams, are broody it is not necessary to give them eggs to hatch if you don't want. I let my Silkies set an empty nest when they go broody to give their bodies a nutrition break from laying so many eggs (Silkies are amazing layers for bantams). After 2 or 3 weeks of sitting on an empty nest they will rejoin the flock again like normal. While Silkies are broody I take them off nest a couple times daily to eat/drink/exercise/dust-bathe before they go running back to their nest. Sometimes chickens get reclusive and lethargic when molting and if a Silkie stays in a nextbox more than 3 weeks mine are probably molting. Either way I give molting, brooding, sick, or injured chickens a drop of children's no-iron Poly-Vi-Sol vitamin on the side of their beak 2 or 3x weekly since they aren't eating as well as usual and I want them to get their vitamins. My vet highly reminds me to feed my chickens vitamins. In their regular feed or cooked brown rice I add Rooster Booster vitamins, Brewer's Yeast, Bee Pollen, and a very very light pinch of selenium and offer it every afternoon as a treat. Silkie crests, feathered feet, and vent feathers can get matted or dirty and may need a bath. I don't immerse a Silkie in water but just direct the faucet on either their feet, or tush, or use a warm washcloth for getting gunk out of the crest feathers -- don't want to get water down their nostrils since chickens are prone to respiratory ailments. I use gentle no tears baby shampoo just in case it gets in the chicken's or my eyes! They love a warm blow-dry with a hairdryer -- I use a Baby Pro small hair dryer on low warm after patting a wet bird with paper towels or super absorbent industrial towels or soft baby towel. I use vitamin E oil per vet recommendation on the face skin, beak, comb, legs, toes, and nails of my chickens rather than greasy Vaseline which has no vitamin benefit to the chicken's skin, I had an in-house Silkie that would tap on the fan when she wanted us to turn it on -- Silkies like to stand in front of a low-breeze heater in winter or fan in summer. Have a chicken first-aid kit available. Mine has Q-tips, Manna Pro Poultry Protector, Vetericyn, soft stretchy white tape wrap, vitamin E oil, small nail clippers, nail file, septic stick, cotton balls, veterinary fecal test kit, super absorbent industrial paper towels, baby shampoo, etc (you get the idea). I also have some veterinary-assigned medicines that I keep refrigerated along with the Poly-Vi-Sol vitamins. Having all these prepared in one place makes it handy for emergencies or when grooming a chicken. Any other questions like breeding there are many on this thread willing to help - Smiles!

 

[DianeClare]

Still trying to figure how this forum works. Thank you for all your info. Very helpful for us neophytes! We will learn - hopeful quickly. Is there any contradiction to placing a heating pad on the bottom of the brooder (large cardboard box) for extra heat for our little ones? Would be on one side covered in plastic and under all the bedding. Thanks.

 

[QueenMisha]

Still trying to figure how this forum works. Thank you for all your info. Very helpful for us neophytes! We will learn - hopeful quickly. Is there any contradiction to placing a heating pad on the bottom of the brooder (large cardboard box) for extra heat for our little ones? Would be on one side covered in plastic and under all the bedding. Thanks.

I have used heating pads, and they can work although they are not my favorite. Look up heating pad caves. That is a more ideal design.

 

[newbeechix]

I have read everything and still can't figure out my silkies. Can anyone help me sex them. I've never had chickens before so I'm new at this. But my babies were born Sept,2016.Here are my pics

 

[QueenMisha]

I have read everything and still can't figure out my silkies. Can anyone help me sex them. I've never had chickens before so I'm new at this. But my babies were born Sept,2016.Here are my pics

Sorry, the photos aren't coming through. Could you try posting them again?

 

[Hinotori]

I have read everything and still can't figure out my silkies. Can anyone help me sex them. I've never had chickens before so I'm new at this. But my babies were born Sept,2016.Here are my pics

You'll need I think 10? posts or so before you can put up pictures. It's some amount like 10 or 20.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hello
We are brand new to raising chickens but are very excited about the adventure. Our chicks arrive on April 5th. Included in the bunch are 5 Silkies as a birthday gift for my 16 year old granddaughter. Strange kid - wanted chickens for her birthday! Didn't even ask for clothes!!
We would be very happy for any and all tips and advice for success. Do the hens get broody? Would love to have some hatchlings some day.
Should the Silkies be housed separately from the others ?
We are new homesteaders totally organic.
Thanks for starting this thread. I'll be following.
Diane

Hello and welcome. What a lovely gift for your granddaughter. I've been breeding silkies for 14 years and whilst I've introduced several large fowl breeds to my ever expanding flock , silkies are still my favs.
They can be flighty but just sitting on the ground with treats and allowing them to get comfortable around you is a good way to make them more approachable. They can be susceptible to dietary shortfalls so I recommend a good poultry multi vitamin to be routinely added to the water to prevent such ailments like wryneck ( thiamine , selenium deficiency).
Welcome to the world of ' fluffy butts ' .