Silkie thread!

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Oh yes, chickens (all birds) see in MUCH better colour than we mere humans/mammals. There was a very definite reaction when they were put back in to coop with the other birds. Several years ago, but I STILL remember the reactions!

 

[Tikkijane]

So, a few ?s...................... How cold hardy are these peeps? The plan is to have them in with my regular big girls, particularly so during the winter they are all warm enough. I don't have anything extra for my girls; no insulation or anything; they just put on a nice fat layer and then the coop is dry and not drafty.

My other one is roosting- I guess I hadn't thought that they don't??? If they don't roost and are in with the others, the question is going to be how to keep them poop free............... DO they roost at night? Or puppy pile? Mix in with the big girls or make another small coop for them?

Which then I guess makes me think about nesting boxes- will they use the regular ones my other girls are using? Anyone have issues with that?

Thanks!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

So, a few ?s...................... How cold hardy are these peeps? The plan is to have them in with my regular big girls, particularly so during the winter they are all warm enough. I don't have anything extra for my girls; no insulation or anything; they just put on a nice fat layer and then the coop is dry and not drafty.

My other one is roosting- I guess I hadn't thought that they don't??? If they don't roost and are in with the others, the question is going to be how to keep them poop free............... DO they roost at night? Or puppy pile? Mix in with the big girls or make another small coop for them?

Which then I guess makes me think about nesting boxes- will they use the regular ones my other girls are using? Anyone have issues with that?

Thanks!

Silkie feathers are very good insulation from winter cold. The coop should be fine. Some silkies will roost, especially if they are with other birds that do so. Any way to block off the areas under the roosts so that they can't get into the "poop zone"? Depends on how high the nest boxes are.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Well, it certainly does not ALWAYS happen, but I certainly would not recommend using it without a test shampoo on a bird where colouring doesn't matter.



* NOTE, no silkies were harmed in creating the above photo, but two were quite humiliated.

You could have claimed you were working on a new color! OMGosh-- this is hilarious!

 

[Hawkeye95]

So, a few ?s...................... How cold hardy are these peeps? The plan is to have them in with my regular big girls, particularly so during the winter they are all warm enough. I don't have anything extra for my girls; no insulation or anything; they just put on a nice fat layer and then the coop is dry and not drafty.

My other one is roosting- I guess I hadn't thought that they don't??? If they don't roost and are in with the others, the question is going to be how to keep them poop free............... DO they roost at night? Or puppy pile? Mix in with the big girls or make another small coop for them?

Which then I guess makes me think about nesting boxes- will they use the regular ones my other girls are using? Anyone have issues with that?

Thanks!

I find it really annoying, but at night, my silkies all pile into the nest boxes and sleep in there. They do roost every now and then-- but very rarely. Mostly they pile up together. I have two cockerels that will ALWAYS sleep together-- they are best buds and they sleep in the nest boxes. Of course, then the boxes get yucky. Sigh. I would try to block off under the roosts like Sonoran said-- mine got kind of gross after a night of sleeping on the floor under there. My nest boxes are 6 inches off the floor-- but because of my deep litter-- it's practically even with the floor. Very easy for a silkie to get in and out. Especially a broody. She gets kind of weak and crazy and you don't want her doing a nose dive out of a high nest box. I lay boxes on the floor for my broody.

 

[mama2my4]

You could have claimed you were working on a new color! OMGosh-- this is hilarious!

 

[chisNchickens]

Hey Hawkeye, haven't showed a bird YET but I use the whitening shampoo. It is usually bright blue/purple. The best kind I have found is at Orchlyns or prob TSC - Farnam's Vetrolan(sp) White and Bright. Just be careful on a white bird not to leave it too long or you will have a lavender bird for a while. Really brighten's up any coat color and makes white practically glow. Use it on my dogs for show prep too. Just FYI ;-)

ETA - just read the other posts. Funny! Nice Pink bird Sonoran! I have bathed my splash several times with the brand above and no color exchange at all. I would only worry about the whites (at least with my brand) and even then only if left on too long. I have bathed Bonk in it several times too. I love the stuff.

Sonoran, or Beth-- who ever is here and shows- Our show is this Saturday. So I helped my son wash our cockerel first. He's a Splash. We got him pretty clean-- EXCEPT right around his beak on his beard and right on his crest above the comb. I got the crest pretty clean except for the spot it meets the comb. And the spot where it meets the underside of his beak. They still are off colored and dingy looking. He is looking really great except for those areas. What can I do to brighten those or get them whiter/cleaner or whatever. I was tempted to dab at it with vinegar. I hate to do another whole body wash just for those two areas. Any tips to get them to look grey and less dingy? Help! He's hanging out in my kitchen right now. I'd like to do it NOW while he's still in here and drying to cut down on the stress. Lay it on me!!


ETA: OH and I knew the underside beard was dingy, so I used Dawn on him there and really scrubbed/bubbled it up thinking that would help. I didn't realize the little dirt pocket right between his crest and comb was there until we were blowing him out and I spotted it then. I brushed him out lightly and none of it comes out.

 

[chisNchickens]

That is great! I set 36 shipped and have eight growing. That is NOT great.
And anyone - I am wanting some nice white pullets/hens if you have any to spare.
I am waiting on Bobbi but am always looking...

Yeah......... I set 20 eggs (silkies of course) 2 weeks ago and 19 are growing!!!! They were shipped!

 

[Tikkijane]

Silkie feathers are very good insulation from winter cold. The coop should be fine. Some silkies will roost, especially if they are with other birds that do so. Any way to block off the areas under the roosts so that they can't get into the "poop zone"? Depends on how high the nest boxes are.

The nesting boxes are on the side of the roost, which is then an extension of the side of the coop. Even if someone sat on the end of the roost with their butt facing the nesting boxes, they'd have to be flying to get some to land in there, lol. But, if the silkies don't roost, if they are under the roost, chances are they could get pooped on, particularly if they were in back of the backside of the others, who always face front when they sleep...............

 

[Tikkijane]

I find it really annoying, but at night, my silkies all pile into the nest boxes and sleep in there. They do roost every now and then-- but very rarely. Mostly they pile up together. I have two cockerels that will ALWAYS sleep together-- they are best buds and they sleep in the nest boxes. Of course, then the boxes get yucky. Sigh. I would try to block off under the roosts like Sonoran said-- mine got kind of gross after a night of sleeping on the floor under there. My nest boxes are 6 inches off the floor-- but because of my deep litter-- it's practically even with the floor. Very easy for a silkie to get in and out. Especially a broody. She gets kind of weak and crazy and you don't want her doing a nose dive out of a high nest box. I lay boxes on the floor for my broody.

I wonder......... if they will roost, we are going to add a second roost in there so everyone has ample room. I think it would be worth a try to have the front roost lower than the regular roost- the big girls are going to go for the highest one (I assume) which will be in the back. The lower one in the front would be for the littles, and would hopefully mean no one gets pooped on. We could close off the entrance for the nesting boxes if we needed to, and we're putting the second set in next week anyhow. Is there a preferred roosting height for silkies? The roost now is eye level to me which makes it at least a foot off the floor of the coop. Definitely something to think about- thanks all!