Silkies Outside?

[xcalibor67]

Now that my son has his 1st Silkie chick we hatched, we might both become addicted to these lil alien critters.. Been researching the breed, but figured i would get some good answers from "Hands-On" people here @ BYC. How do these birds do outside in a coop/run? Around here our winters normally drop to around 25/ with teens ever now and again. On the other hand our summers can get hot upper 90's some days. I read they can be bullied if put with other breeds, so i intend on building a coop/run just for Silkies...I assume there is no problems fighting each other?.Thanks, for any advice.

 

[GitaBooks]

I've raised silkies and silkie mixes for a few years now and they are by far the most likely breed I have had to get caught by predators. Even chill predators like skunks and opossums will go after silkies. They perch low, can't run, can't fly, can't easily see without hair-cuts, and don't develop sharp nails or spurs.

They are, however, pretty hardy in the winter because of a small comb and thick feathering. As long as they are dry and away from the wind, they fair pretty well. My silkies have been in 0 F and below and been okay (adults only, young birds aren't as hardy).
They do okay in the heat too, with plenty of shade and water. They like to dust bathe in moist dirt to stay cool as well.

Silkies can be bullied, but it really depends on how they are raised, the individual flock, ect. Provide plenty of perches, nest boxes, space, barriers, and multiple feeding and watering spots and they should be okay. Keeping them separate is good as well though, as they tend to naturally hang out with each other anyways. My silkies have a mini-flock that tries to stay separate from the other breeds and rarely ever argue. In fact, I had two roosters that were friends.

Remember, mud and rain are your enemy with silkies. The chill is not the only problem, but it can cake mud on their toes and cause them to rot. They can catch a chill and get tangles. Keep them dry and trim their foot and head feathers if necessary so they can enjoy the sights of the world.

Hope this helps! Best of luck!

 

[xcalibor67]

Built this for Quail, which i have some in now, but thinking of moving the quail out to another smaller place and use this for some Silkies. The run party has 1/2 hardware clothe top to bottom, made it so black snakes couldnt get in on my Quail. Coop part is on concrete.. How would the silkies do if i pour concrete in the run and put a couple inches of sand? It looks sad in the pics, my grass had not grown yet. Oh, btw, what did you mean by "Multiple" feeding stations? I was going to do it like my egg layers coop and have 1 central feeder inside coop? Thanks.

 

[GitaBooks]

That's really awesome looking. You wouldn't want too many silkies in there but a little flock would work well.

Putting concrete down would probably make it worse. My concrete chicken room has a hole in the roof and the bedding gets soaked and smells terrible. I have to shovel it out after every rain and let it dry. Total waste of bedding too. With proper drainage it might work though, this is just my experience.

My flock has multiple feeding stations. We have different wooden boards as well as plastic boards, concrete slabs, ect that we just pour some food on. This keeps it clean but provides different sites so that the bullied birds can eat without the bosses chasing them away. They aren't as bossy with the waterers but I try to keep a couple available.

If you just have a small flock of silkies they should share pretty well.

 

[LilJoe]

I let mine free range with all my other chickens including:

Wyandottes-Orpingtons-Leghorns-Cochins-EasterEggers-


My silkies as a whole are second on the pecking order; under my leghorns.


In the winter they dont want to go outside in the snow.
in the summer ( 90¤F and up) theyre fine!

~LilJoe

 

[xcalibor67]

Thanks @ GitaBooks. prolly will get around 8-10 birds. I just read a thread somewhere on BYC about how Silks do not clinb ramps very well? Im glad i cut the hole in the coop @ the very bottom going into run..Now i can just enlarge it a tad, and the silks can just walk in/out no climbing. @LilJoe, I wished i could free range..I have the land, but we have so many predators, Raccoons. Opossums, Owls, hawks, and an occasional stray dog..No way i could feel safe letting them roam around..

 

[xcalibor67]

Oh, and i forgot to mention we have some bad neighbors apparently somewhere that do not have their pet cats fixed...now we have several wild strays running around...GRRR.

 

[LilJoe]

Thanks @ GitaBooks. prolly will get around 8-1over0 birds. I just read a thread somewhere on BYC about how Silks do not clinb ramps very well? Im glad i cut the hole in the coop @ the very bottom going into run..Now i can just enlarge it a tad, and the silks can just walk in/out no climbing. @LilJoe, I wished i could free range..I have the land, but we have so many predators, Raccoons. Opossums, Owls, hawks, and an occasional stray dog..No way i could feel safe letting them roam around..

Mine climb up/down ramps just fine. I have sll those here too. Been raising chickens for a little over a year now and ONLY lost ONE chicken. A chick to predators.

 

[xcalibor67]

I might try some free ranging...one day, but for now im still trying to get up enough nerve to tell my Quail they are being evicted...to another house..lol.

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

I have seven Silkies (1 rooster, 2 cockerels, 2 likely cockerels and 2 pullets), and they have no trouble with ramps, stairs or running. They can jump when they want to, but mostly they'd prefer an elevator ride to their roosts and other high places.

The rooster toughed out the winter by himself in a small, well-insulted and well-ventilated coop with a small attached run. I brought him inside once when it hit 10 below. He did not venture out in the snow so he got pretty dirty. I had to give him a monthly pedicure.

I was worried the adult rooster was going to destroy the younger ones, but for the moment it's peaceful. We'll see how long the peace keeps when they hit sexual maturity.

The stray/barn cats I have around my house have learned to leave him alone. They give a very wide berth, especially to the rooster. Aside from the cats, the neighbor's dogs and the occasional fisher cat, I live in a relatively predator free zone. Odd, considering I live on a mountain top in northern Vermont.