Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[LadiesAndJane]

When would you guys suggest starting eggs in the incubator? Silkies are so fragile that I'm afraid of hatching them out in the winter.

Thank you! I'm a bit weary after we had a workman in our house and he accidentally unplugged my heater and they all died very soon after.

Agree, silkies are tougher than they look, but Spring is the best time. Also depends on wear you live.
I am setting some silkie cross eggs next week, but we have warmer temps all year.☺
Sorry to hear about the loss of your last batch of eggs.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

So tonight i let my cochin chicks, now 7.5 weeks old, and the big girls mingle and it went really well! I was a little worried about my silkies being mean. My partridge silkie i suspect is the lady in charge, and my blue silkie used to just rush everyone once they were out. They were definitely curious, but then just ignored the chicks. So no decapitations!! Yay!!

I need to modify the main coop a bit, but have no energy at the moment. I hope to have that done this week though and attach my new extension and finally get them all together. The pine in the brooder gets stinky now that they have bigger poops.. yuck

 

[PioneerChicks]

So tonight i let my cochin chicks, now 7.5 weeks old, and the big girls mingle and it went really well! I was a little worried about my silkies being mean. My partridge silkie i suspect is the lady in charge, and my blue silkie used to just rush everyone once they were out. They were definitely curious, but then just ignored the chicks. So no decapitations!! Yay!!

I need to modify the main coop a bit, but have no energy at the moment. I hope to have that done this week though and attach my new extension and finally get them all together. The pine in the brooder gets stinky now that they have bigger poops.. yuck

Glad they are doing well! I need to integrate that silkie roo

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Glad they are doing well! I need to integrate that silkie roo

These guys have been side by side for almost 8 weeks now.. but i kept the play date at 5 mins.. i didn't want to take the chance it would go sour. Im kind of excited to have another playdate!

How long have they been able to see the roo?

 

[PioneerChicks]

These guys have been side by side for almost 8 weeks now.. but i kept the play date at 5 mins.. i didn't want to take the chance it would go sour. Im kind of excited to have another playdate!

How long have they been able to see the roo?

A few weeks, but this roo has never really been outside or around hens. However, I did see him tidbitting to the hens through the wire. I think I'll start by introducing him to a single mellow hen for a start.

You sounds like me, fretting and playing it safe!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

A few weeks, but this roo has never really been outside or around hens. However, I did see him tidbitting to the hens through the wire. I think I'll start by introducing him to a single mellow hen for a start.

You sounds like me, fretting and playing it safe!

I bet he will be so sweet and more mellow than a typical outdoor raised roo

 

[PioneerChicks]

I bet he will be so sweet and more mellow than a typical outdoor raised roo

Two true! He is a cuddlebug!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Awwww the little cochin girls were watching the big girls intently today.. I put a little dog bowl with some food and calcium for the big girls (they are eating the stupid wheat litter I bought! ugh) and they were eating so nicely together. It almost seems like the little girls really want to get in there with them. I might just wash the sand and put them in the extension part, so they are even closer together.. then when i take the divider out, they all technically have been living in the same coop together, just different ends of the same space.

I am CONSIDERING sending my silkies to the lady that got my little chicks a couple months back. I will see how spacing goes. They are super well behaved, but not really all that cuddly compared to the D'Uccles and Cochins. I will only send them over there if space becomes an issue and everyone is on top of each other. She has an outdoor coop with a small flock, but she lets the bantams come in to play in the house. I am hoping to get the coop issue settled, then get more chicken diapers. As long as they can all get outside for some exercise (in the living room), I don't think space is as much of a prob. HOWEVER... my daughter has zero interest, and these were supposed to be her pets. So this is all going to fall on me.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I am so close to finishing that silkie article I promised! I got really busy for a while, but now I am happy to say that it is almost finished. But one question, would you say silkies are more work than other breeds? And if so, why?
In my experience, they may be by a little, but not much (just crest trimming, and they are sometimes soaked from rain or snow).

 

[LynnaePB]

I am so close to finishing that silkie article I promised! I got really busy for a while, but now I am happy to say that it is almost finished. But one question, would you say silkies are more work than other breeds? And if so, why?
In my experience, they may be by a little, but not much (just crest trimming, and they are sometimes soaked from rain or snow).

That is great, I'm looking forward to reading your article!

I probably would say silkies are a bit more maintenance than other breeds I've had. The getting wet and standing in the rain has been the biggest issue for me. Our next coop will definitely have a covered run.....I don't know how many times I've gotten sopping wet because a heavy rain started and I had to scramble to get a lot of the hens/pullets into their coop. My chicks can be a little slower on the uptake when it comes to learning new things like getting in the coop for the night. Sometimes it can take a while and extra work to make sure they are getting the concept (it doesn't always happen but I do find it is pretty common). I also find with the five toes the 4th and 5th toe need to be checked to make sure the nails don't get overgrown (I think it is hard for them to wear the nails down with the toes being off the ground). A couple weeks ago when I let the silkies out for the morning I noticed one of my little pullets stumbling and falling over when trying to walk. Definitely scared me as I was thinking it could be something serious. When I picked her up and took a close look at her legs I realized it was due to her toenails hooking together!

On the other hand there are some major perks to silkies that can make them a bit lower maintenance. Mine are generally pretty laid back and calm and easy to handle (other than a few outliers and the males can be a pain in my flock). This saves a lot of time and effort if you have to treat the flock for anything like worms, mites etc. Then the fact that they are pretty easy to keep in a run as they don't typically try to fly out is really nice (that was a big problem in my non silkies back when I had a mixed flock).

Unfortunately it has been my experience that they are more prone to developing certain health issues/deformities. I used to hatch a lot of barnyard mixes and never once dealt with wry neck, cross beak (also sometimes a milder bent/crooked beak), or wry tail. With the silkies these are issues that can and do pop up. I consider myself lucky if I don't have any of those issues develop in a hatch of 10 or more. Thankfully if they reach half a year or so with no issues popping up they've generally been pretty healthy. Perhaps I've just been unlucky in that regard. I hope with good breeding I can eventually work out some of the health issues my silkies seem to be more prone to.

All in all I can't help but love my silkies despite some of the issues than can make them a little higher maintenance.