Silkie

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silkienewbie88

silkienewbie88

Hatching
May 15, 2015
7
0
9
Leeds
Hi, I'm new to all of this, I will be getting 2 baby silkies in a few weeks from a friend as a early wedding present as they know I always wanted to keep chickens.
They have advised me that silkies are one of the friendliest and I also have two little girls to love them also.
My questions are
How do I know the sex and what will I need for my set up? I've got a list of things but just wondered if people can confirm I sort of know what I'm doing.
Gotta start some where, we kept chickens when I was a little girl and want to make sure I give my silkies the best life possible .
Thank u x
 
Hi :welcome

Glad you could join the flock! Are you from Leeds, Yorkshire? If you are starting with chicks they will need a secure well ventilated (but not drafts) brooder with a heat source. I use a guinea cage with Brinsea Eco glow heat plate. Either a lamp or electric hen type heat plate. A waterer they can't drown in and chick crumb for them to eat. They do grow quickly so other arrangements may be needed before you know it. They need heat for 6-8 weeks untill they are fully feathered. Here is lovely article on raising them > https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-chicks-artificially

Silkies are notoriously hard to sex so you may not know untill that are about 6 months old. With either a crow or an egg. If you type in silkie thread to the search box above there are threads all about them.

Wishing you the very best of luck with them and be sure to ask around the forum with any questions.

Enjoy BYC and all the chicken chat :frow
 
Thank you so much, will they be ok to be in the house as chicks? It'll be warmer for them I thought. Yeah I'm in leeds West Yorkshire.
I'm so excited to get them but want to make sure I've got every thing, I've got the chick starter food and a self watering water dish thing which is quite shallow but I will be with them constantly.
My little girls are excited too I'm going to teach them how to look after them. I'm going to build a run and little house with beating boxes. So should I wire up a heat lamp in there for them when they are ready to be outside alone?
Xxxx
 
Yes I have mine in the house in the utility
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Once they have grown out of the guinea cage I move them out to the brooding shed with lamp. Depends how feathered they are when you move them out as to if they need heat or not. As a general rule of thumb for me they are off heat and in a coop and run by 6 weeks. If you do rig a lamp up for them outside just be aware of fire if the house is small.

With your water you can add some clean marbles so they can drink I between them but not drown.
 
Yorkshire Coop has you all squared away, so I will just say "Welcome to Backyard Chickens, so glad you joined the flock."
wee.gif
 
Thank u guys, feel really good about this.
There's loads for me to take in but I haven't been this excited since .... Oh I don't know when x
 

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