Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[MommyGirl]

I prefer to keep them separate from the other breeds. they are low in pecking order. I live in 9a zone (moved from 9b) and silkies are fine with heat. they need a shelter during the day as all the chickens do. no special care needed.

Thanks for replying! I’m thinking of adding a pen and coop just for them!

 

[Debbie292d]

Unfortunately I can't ship as Im not NPIP

You could ship to us.

The USPS doesn't care, anywhere.

Wisconsin Ag Dept isn't checking as they're only occasionally checking commercial chicken growers. I got NPIP inspected, then the state Ag Dept actually called me asking what I did here. I explained I breed silkies, buy silkie eggs from breeders who ship to me, and I ship eggs out to others. She said I need nothing unless I go commercial, and here, their focus is on more on hatcheries shipping chicks into our state to stores for resale.

I've never heard of anyone being inspected for NPIP certification.

 

[Hinotori]

Silkies are often picked on because they can't see their attackers.

They absolutely must be kept in from the rain because the will stand out in it and get soak. They learn to wet their crests so they can see better. Hence the standing in the rain. They will dunk their heads in water for the same reason.

Silkies, at least the ones in the US, do best on 20% protien. It effects their feathers and fluffiness. Of course hatchery bred silkies aren't as fluffy as ones from good breeding.

They will go broody. Sometimes frequently. I had one raise 5 batches of chicks one year. Stubborn about it too. They will try and hatch anything. I've had pullets go broody without ever even laying first.

They tend to mature late. 9 months is about average for mine. You can shorten that by hatching them in the autumn. Lengthening days in spring can get them closer to 6 months. Early spring chicks may take almost a year.

Can't really evaluate them until at least 9 months old. Can only cull out obvious disqualifications and flaws like wrong toes or split wing early. No body conformation.

 

[Hinotori]

You could ship to us.

The USPS doesn't care, anywhere.

Wisconsin Ag Dept isn't checking as they're only occasionally checking commercial chicken growers. I got NPIP inspected, then the state Ag Dept actually called me asking what I did here. I explained I breed silkies, buy silkie eggs from breeders who ship to me, and I ship eggs out to others. She said I need nothing unless I go commercial, and here, their focus is on more on hatcheries shipping chicks into our state to stores for resale.

I've never heard of anyone being inspected for NPIP certification.

They will check here. It's on the forms they require at all the local post offices. Some states are much more strict. Mine definitely is. I know enough people who have shipped. They get testy about type of bird shipping boxes here as well. Only certain ones allowed.

 

[NagemTX]

Texas, I have heard is strict as well. I do know from a breeder in Oregon that ships everywhere in the US with out NPIP with no issues even to Texas.

 

[Hinotori]

I am not rural here, even though I live in the country. Our place designated zip code has 35,000 population. It's not a town. If it ever incorporates, we'll probably be separated off because we are not in the urban growth area. We're unincorporated county. There are 17 post offices within 15 miles of me. I don't know how actual rural post offices would things.

 

[Ponypoor]

Since this is a thread about silkies I would like to learn some more about silkies. I posted a thread yesterday asking about silkies but didn’t get much response. I am thinking about adding some but I have all standard size chicks and wanted to know how well they do in a mixed flock and are there other things I should consider about silkies? Are they heat tolerant? Do they require special care that my other girls don’t? Thanks for any advice!

I have a mixed bag flock here, polish rooster, and a bunch of larger ladies, and my 4 silkie hens. There is some squabbling and like in any flock there are those that are more dominant. But I also have a mixed bag of ages so the youngsters get harassed mostly.

My whole flock are not overly happy with the heat and humidity- and can handle the cooler weather better.

Sub-zero temps though are hard on them - anything under -10C (14F) is very stressful for all my chooks esp the silkies. I have a sweeter heater for them to hang out under during the day, at night my Hen House warms to about the freezing point (32F) with all the chooks in there.

When I gets below -20C all my chooks are unhappy, then I make sure they have warming stations and ensure the Hen House is warmed to the freezing point (32F) for them at night.

Otherwise the silkies are just as hardy and happy as the rest of the flock.

One thing I should point out is that they need their head feathers trimmed so they can see, I keep my silkies and my polish Roo’s head feathers trimmed short so they can see anyone who wants to pick on them, and so they can hop on things, run around and for predators outside.

Silkies are little clowns

 

[Ponypoor]

That is what I am doing and she will not eat or drink. I don’t have a good feeling for her, I would feel better for her odds of she would eat and drink.

I have the two of them in my pocket here at work, they were just screaming in the incubator. That can’t be good for them getting all upset. I figure they like the snuggling in my fleece pocket like under a momma hen.

Felt I should give an update on the wee chick with the spraddle legs. The wee lass didn’t make it, I did get her eating and drinking and she would bop around on her elbows/hocks. But her legs wouldn’t straighten out. There was more than spraddle leg going on.

I decided to have her euthanized yesterday to spare her any further pain as her hocks had started to freeze up. The Vet agreed with me it was time and that we had tried everything.

The other chick I had with her for company is thriving.

 

[MommyGirl]

I have a mixed bag flock here, polish rooster, and a bunch of larger ladies, and my 4 silkie hens. There is some squabbling and like in any flock there are those that are more dominant. But I also have a mixed bag of ages so the youngsters get harassed mostly.

My whole flock are not overly happy with the heat and humidity- and can handle the cooler weather better.

Sub-zero temps though are hard on them - anything under -10C (14F) is very stressful for all my chooks esp the silkies. I have a sweeter heater for them to hang out under during the day, at night my Hen House warms to about the freezing point (32F) with all the chooks in there.

When I gets below -20C all my chooks are unhappy, then I make sure they have warming stations and ensure the Hen House is warmed to the freezing point (32F) for them at night.

Otherwise the silkies are just as hardy and happy as the rest of the flock.

One thing I should point out is that they need their head feathers trimmed so they can see, I keep my silkies and my polish Roo’s head feathers trimmed short so they can see anyone who wants to pick on them, and so they can hop on things, run around and for predators outside.

Silkies are little clowns

Thanks so much for replying! I think I can add some silkies. Most of my girls are sweet. Just a few I am worried might not be so nice. But I can put them in mean jail til they can behave lol

 

[Hinotori]

Felt I should give an update on the wee chick with the spraddle legs. The wee lass didn’t make it, I did get her eating and drinking and she would bop around on her elbows/hocks. But her legs wouldn’t straighten out. There was more than spraddle leg going on.

I decided to have her euthanized yesterday to spare her any further pain as her hocks had started to freeze up. The Vet agreed with me it was time and that we had tried everything.

The other chick I had with her for company is thriving.

Have to do what is best for them sometimes