Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[Rshumpal]

Oh no, I'm so sorry about little Nugget.

Serena and Winifred are adorable!

I'm not great at guessing sex yet so I'm not much help in that regard. By 25 weeks usually I'll see streamers and some comb development in boys and sometimes they'll be crowing by then (actually most of my boys are crowing by then). Your little Winifred looks more girly to me than boyish given her/his age but I could be wrong.

I've been watching this chick (calling Winifred that still because I can't figure it out) for 25 weeks now. Was the most aggressive of the 6 from the first day which was hilarious after week 2 watching this little black chick boss the Brahmas and Favorelles. But then Wini decided to be a lone wolf and do its own thing. After Nugget Winifred has been the largest Brahmas best friend, I'm pretty sure it is a "Gracie you're a much bigger target" thing.

Doesn't participate in the dominance games, that are still settling out since Serena joined. If Wini is nearby when it starts she walks between the 2 and heads back to Gracie. Finds Serena hanging in the nest box more interesting then the other 4 pullets, but not in a I should do that too sort of way, more of why do you like it in there so much attitude.

None of my youngsters have any real interest in bugs and such yet, but they don't get much time outside since Mother Nature is trying to flood North Alabama not the coast for the last 2 months.

 

[Rshumpal]

The partridge looks female. The black is hard to tell, but maybe female too.

The partridge lays about every 30 hours like clock work once she was itegrated. She is about 15 months old. The other one is 25 weeks

 

[LynnaePB]

I've been watching this chick (calling Winifred that still because I can't figure it out) for 25 weeks now. Was the most aggressive of the 6 from the first day which was hilarious after week 2 watching this little black chick boss the Brahmas and Favorelles. But then Wini decided to be a lone wolf and do its own thing. After Nugget Winifred has been the largest Brahmas best friend, I'm pretty sure it is a "Gracie you're a much bigger target" thing.

Doesn't participate in the dominance games, that are still settling out since Serena joined. If Wini is nearby when it starts she walks between the 2 and heads back to Gracie. Finds Serena hanging in the nest box more interesting then the other 4 pullets, but not in a I should do that too sort of way, more of why do you like it in there so much attitude.

None of my youngsters have any real interest in bugs and such yet, but they don't get much time outside since Mother Nature is trying to flood North Alabama not the coast for the last 2 months.

Aww Winifred and Gracie sound so cute together!

I used to rely on temperament a lot more to try to guess gender as chicks but two of my most aggressive chicks turned out female recently so now I try not to judge as much by temperament.

We've been hit really bad with rain here too, I hate it! One of our little coop/runs was flooded recently. Luckily the coop was small enough it was easy to lift it up on blocks of wood to keep everyone inside dry. We had to make some plywood platforms in the run so the silkies in that coop could come out. When it was really bad I'd only let them out while I could watch them since the water was deep enough they could drown in it if they fell in.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I have successfully done my first hatch! It looks like I've got 3 black silkies and 2 blues, but the might end up being partly buff. I also had two silkie-Orpington bantam mixes, one of which found another home and we named the other Robin Hood, Ro for short (yes, we will keep that name even if it is female. I love Robin Hood stories, but not the movie!)

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

I have successfully done my first hatch! It looks like I've got 3 black silkies and 2 blues, but the might end up being partly buff. I also had two silkie-Orpington bantam mixes, one of which found another home and we named the other Robin Hood, Ro for short (yes, we will keep that name even if it is female. I love Robin Hood stories, but not the movie!)

Congratulations!

 

[Angela Thomson]

First and foremost - ABSOLUTELY NO HATING ON SILKIES ALLOWED!!! If you aren’t here to support our fuzzy friends, don’t respond.

Silkies get a bad rap for the following:
"Looks like a dust mop"
"Too hard to maintain"
"Poor immune system"
"Dumber than rocks"
"0 predator awareness"
And oh, so much more.

Well my friends - I thought so too, until I actually got silkies for myself. These are some of the most wonderful birds out there.

I’ve found them to be highly heat tolerant, wonderful mothers, having the strongest immune systems in my Bantam flock, GREAT LAYERS (that’s right folks), adorable as all get out, and more.

I currently have 9 silkies - and my rooster has been nothing but a gentleman to his ladies. They free range daily and I’ve not had a silkie get killed by a predator yet. My hens average 5 eggs a week - not too bad for a silkie, eh?


Most of the time, these silkie haters haven’t even owned the breed, but rather pretend they know everything.


So... let the fun begin! Support our silkies!

Pictures always welcome.

Be mindful, and respect others...

Off-topic discussions are allowed, though try to maintain the subject of silkies.

-Kayla-

I want to get some.

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

I feel like I’ve abandoned all Silkie threads and just BYC in general...

I really haven’t, I read through posts but it never notifies me and keeping up with replies doesn’t always work.

As I say, if anyone does want to ask me anything or I don’t reply on a thread, send me a PM and I will definitely reply!

Anyways, have one of my growers chillin’ with our garden monster...

 

[PioneerChicks]

I feel like I’ve abandoned all Silkie threads and just BYC in general...

I really haven’t, I read through posts but it never notifies me and keeping up with replies doesn’t always work.

As I say, if anyone does want to ask me anything or I don’t reply on a thread, send me a PM and I will definitely reply!

Anyways, have one of my growers chillin’ with our garden monster...

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We understand, we all are busy at times.

 

[artsyrobin]

So i lurk too much lol but what are your oldest silkies? This is eloise, 12 years and besides blindness in one eye going strong

 

[PioneerChicks]

So i lurk too much lol but what are your oldest silkies? This is eloise, 12 years and besides blindness in one eye going strong
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My oldest will be a year old in a couple of months.

12 years! Most chickens that people consider old don't live past 8-10! You must be a really good chicken keeper! (My oldest is a 8 year old RIR)