SILKIES....Why The Bad Reputation?

[BlossomSilkies]

Evil...

Silkie #1: Picked her up at a flea market when I lived in Indiana. She would wait for me at the back door of the house at night so that I could scoop her up and deliver her to the coop where everyone else was. Yep, she stole my heart. Evil little thing.

Silkie #2: Adopted her from someone who needed to rehome her. She walked right into our coop and went immediately to the top of the heap. She is sweet and affectionate to us, but she is indifferent to the rest of the chickens, UNLESS someone does something annoying and then she thumps them. She is in charge.

Silkies # 3, 4, 5 & 6: Have had them for about 4 hours. They are temporarily living inside and I haven't been able to keep my hands off them. I am right now sitting here listening to them purr themselves to sleep.


I haven't read all of the posts in this thread, but I cannot comprehend how anyone could possibly dislike Silkies. To me they are the Persian cat of the chicken world (and I also have a Persian cat) I guess I'm a sucker for something soft to cuddle with.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
<*snort*>
I do not love silkies. I do not want any silkies. I think they are the miniature poodles of the chicken world - and I've had poodles in the past so I have an idea what I'm talking about. Just personal preference.

Then my friend hatched some. Oh my gosh! Seeing them animated, not just pictures of silkies which don't impress me in the least, but moving around and chirping and ... running into things... is a lot of fun. Her white silkie is absolutely adorable.

But I still don't want one. Too high maintenance for me.

 

[austincoopersilkiesies]

No More High Maintance Than Buff Orps!

 

[Debbi]

Quote:
X2! I have even learned to recognize the sound of eyeballs rolling back into their heads on the phone!

Lord help the people that make the mistake of asking, "so, how are the chickens??"

 

[L0rraine]

Ours have all been so sweet..., well okay, except for one buff, nonbearded little Roo - but he made us laugh so hard we didn't care how tough he pretended to be.

I just introduced a hen and babies into my adult pen and there was almost no drama, just fuzzy aunties and uncles looking on, with minor curiosity that the flock was growing. The chicks are eight weeks old, so not so tiny any more, but it's so cute to look at them all tucked in at night (there are even little heads peaking out from under our big roo).

They lay like mad (and throughout our mild NW winter) and seem to be extra sweet and gentle moms.

I do agree that they seem to have no sense about getting out of the weather so I've finally extended the roofing for their run. And, because the are so docile, they may not be as 'interesting' as some of the more animated breeds.

 

[EggyErin]

If they aren't getting on the perch it might be because your perch is too high. You might have to build them a ladder. My perch is too high for them to hop on (and they hop rather than being able to flap up) so I made a ladder out of two sticks and some hardware cloth. Now they can climb easily onto the perch.

 

[Patchesnposies]

I am afraid that I am already in love with them. They are so cute and I find that my babies are very curious and animated. I think like all animals, it depends on how they are handled when they are young and if they are socialized to people.

I will remember that they aren't real bright about getting out of the weather and make sure they have adequate shade, etc...here in NM the heat is more apt to hurt them than the rain....but we do get the occasional flash flooding.

I have loved reading all of the responses! It seems there aren't many folks who are neutral about the Silkie.....you either love them or........not. lol

 

[Dun an Oir Hens]

we have 2 silkie boys out of our purchase of 12 mixed color silkies (might have a few more boys but they are still young and these 2 are the first to crow). The white silkie roo has taken a dislike to our polish pullet and runs after her and pulls on her feathers - back and head. This really annoys my 5 year old as the polish pullet Kate is her "baby". I'm trying to rehome this rooster and his brother (and the others that may crow) as we can't have roosters - but these silkie roosters seem a little mean to this polish girl. The girl silikes are great but the friendliest chickens are our polish girls - they run up to my 5 year old and she walkes around with one under each arm - they love her and look forward to her visits every day.

 

[usschicago1]

Quote:
x 2

 

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

Silkies Evil... um no that is the last thing they are!

They are so cute and fluffy our one silkie as of right now is a rooster and his name is Rudy and he lets us do what ever we want to him I run over to him when I let them out in the morning and say " Rudy who Needs a hug you little cutie rooster fluffy-ness" and pick him up and snuggle with him he puts his head in my hair and falls asleep and walk around the yard holding him! There is a rooster "Teenage" stage this happens to alot of roosters it lasted about a week for me where rudy bit me I could not belive it so when I needed to pick him up I just used gloves now that that is over he is a year old now (he was 18 weeks when the teenage stage happened) he is the best little rooster. Also we just had our little Ba die and we were all upset and it broke my heart when it was dusk and all the hens were up Rudy would not go into the coop waiting for the Ba to come in the coop and join the rest of HIS girls, I hated to have to put him in and him not wanting to leave her.

Silkies are some of THE best chickens!