Silkies and Crow Collars

[AniaOnion]

Hi Fellow Chicken Enthusiasts,

My partner got two silkie chicks for his backyard coop earlier this summer. One he has suspicions MIGHT be a rooster. He is completely in love with this chick and we are hoping to keep it till we can MAYBE start our farm/homestead.

As such, we need to try and stop possible crowing, but he is a little nervous about using a crow collar, especially on a bantam breed like Silkies.

If anyone has any useful suggestions, instructions, etc. that might help, we would really appreciate it.

This same chick, who is 2 weeks older than the other chick, recently cornered a Possum that got into the coop, and kept it in the corner away from the other chick and hens until someone heard the commotion and got the possum out. Not even fully grown and already a warrior!

Here's a little selfie of me with the warrior silkie - current name Amethyst until we confirm gender.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Wow!!! That is some silkie!

 

[AniaOnion]

Indeed! That seems like a trait to encourage lol given Silkie's weakness to predators. One that will actually intimidate a possum bigger than they are and keep it cornered...that's a keeper! Especially when you consider how cuddly they still are with people. They would nestle on my chest and just sit there contentedly.

The straight black of their feathers, beak, and eyes, makes them look sometimes like a chicken shaped void! And at first the other chickens wondered if we had brought a raven chick into their coop!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Sure is a keeper!! LOL! I LOVE my silkie!

 

[HillBilly64]

The breeder I got my daugther's silkies off recommended them...I think I have at least 1 (and possibly 2) roosters out of 4 so will be needed them in the near future. My daugther isn't keen on them becoming dinner

I can have roosters, I just have enough native birds waking me up at the crack of dawn (4am in summer) and don't need to add crowing into the mix.

 

[AniaOnion]

I've heard you can keep them from crowing in the early mornings with a night box that keeps them in the dark a little longer.

The breeder we got them from also recommended them. That's actually how we heard of them.

 

[HillBilly64]

Yes she also mentioned that, but that involves me putting it in a box every night ...no good if i want to go away or get home late.