Silkies?

[azure_]

I live in coastal SC and it's always raining here and mine get wet all the time. They'll peck around in thunder storms eating bugs that float up and it has not been an issue for mine. It's not a cold climate here though.

Well my silkies almost always got hypothermia. They we're shivering and soaked to the bone. I live in Massachusetts which is in the US.

 

[Chicalina]

the heads and crests get a bit soggy on mine but their feathers on their body are just wet on the outside, never down to the down. They can look bedraggled though. UK here and often wet.

They don't seem to mind much

 

[Eric R]

Silkies

1. Pecking Order - They will inevitably get picked on if they can't see. Same thing with Polish. The reason is that they don't move away from a more dominant bird when they are supposed to because they don't see it. So the dominant bird will peck at them to make them move. This can be worse if the dominant bird wants to make the point stick. I personally trim the crest and beard if needed so that they can see. This allows them to behave like a chicken. And the best part is they can defend themselves. My silkies and polish aren't at the lower end of the pecking order at all. Yeah they don't look as cute but they also don't look cute with blood on their faces or alone in a separate pen because I refuse to give them a trim.

2. Broody - If you like having chickens as pets go for it but if you like eggs and don't like feeding chickens for nothing in return, don't rely on your silkies. They go broody a lot! It's cute the first few times but after having to deal with so many chicks and what to do with them and the fact that some will die for different reasons, it gets not so cute really quick. But if you like having chicks all the time then the good news is silkies can be really great moms IF you trim their crest and beards so they can see. They need to be able to find food, protect/alert the chicks from predators and from other chickens. Good luck having them do that without being able to see.

3. Rooster issues - I don't l know about ya'll but I have some roosters that treat my silkies just like other hens but have had 2 so far that treat them like another rooster. I'm not sure why other than that to a rooster, silkies just look like other roosters. Don't be surprised if you have this happen.

4. Free ranging - If you free range, silkies are an easy target for ground predators like dogs, coyotes etc. They can do ok from hawks IF you trim their crest and beards. Also they do a good job of listening to the rooster's warnings if you have a rooster. Mine free range just fine but stick close to the rooster and run and hide before the others do. But just know they won't be the fastest or hardest to see if you have white ones.

5. Personality - This is where it gets good. They have great personalities. They are more curious than my other chickens. They aren't afraid to come right up to you just to see if you have somehthing to eat or just to say hi. And they LOVE food/snacks. They are glutinous if you ask me. It's hilarious. They can actually be really fast if it means gobbling up more food that the rest and they look funny doing it. But, oh yeah, they need a hair cut in order to see for them to be able to do this.

Good luck!!!

 

[Owenp_2]

Silkies

1. Pecking Order - They will inevitably get picked on if they can't see. Same thing with Polish. The reason is that they don't move away from a more dominant bird when they are supposed to because they don't see it. So the dominant bird will peck at them to make them move. This can be worse if the dominant bird wants to make the point stick. I personally trim the crest and beard if needed so that they can see. This allows them to behave like a chicken. And the best part is they can defend themselves. My silkies and polish aren't at the lower end of the pecking order at all. Yeah they don't look as cute but they also don't look cute with blood on their faces or alone in a separate pen because I refuse to give them a trim.

2. Broody - If you like having chickens as pets go for it but if you like eggs and don't like feeding chickens for nothing in return, don't rely on your silkies. They go broody a lot! It's cute the first few times but after having to deal with so many chicks and what to do with them and the fact that some will die for different reasons, it gets not so cute really quick. But if you like having chicks all the time then the good news is silkies can be really great moms IF you trim their crest and beards so they can see. They need to be able to find food, protect/alert the chicks from predators and from other chickens. Good luck having them do that without being able to see.

3. Rooster issues - I don't l know about ya'll but I have some roosters that treat my silkies just like other hens but have had 2 so far that treat them like another rooster. I'm not sure why other than that to a rooster, silkies just look like other roosters. Don't be surprised if you have this happen.

4. Free ranging - If you free range, silkies are an easy target for ground predators like dogs, coyotes etc. They can do ok from hawks IF you trim their crest and beards. Also they do a good job of listening to the rooster's warnings if you have a rooster. Mine free range just fine but stick close to the rooster and run and hide before the others do. But just know they won't be the fastest or hardest to see if you have white ones.

5. Personality - This is where it gets good. They have great personalities. They are more curious than my other chickens. They aren't afraid to come right up to you just to see if you have somehthing to eat or just to say hi. And they LOVE food/snacks. They are glutinous if you ask me. It's hilarious. They can actually be really fast if it means gobbling up more food that the rest and they look funny doing it. But, oh yeah, they need a hair cut in order to see for them to be able to do this.

Good luck!!!

Thanks, and I thought about doing something the crest and bread whether that be trimming them or not so this was very very helpful, thank you!

 

[the3quail]

I have 1 silkie hen, they are amazing! Everytime we come outside, she runs to us. They are very friendly, but you CAN NOT just put new chicks out with them. They will show their dominance, with a pecking order, which can kill new chicks. Do daily sessions, putting the silkie in their cage for about 10 minutes. if she/he pecks, give the babies a treat, but make sure the silkie knows she doesn't get one if she pecks.

 

[Owenp_2]

I have 1 silkie hen, they are amazing! Everytime we come outside, she runs to us. They are very friendly, but you CAN NOT just put new chicks out with them. They will show their dominance, with a pecking order, which can kill new chicks. Do daily sessions, putting the silkie in their cage for about 10 minutes. if she/he pecks, give the babies a treat, but make sure the silkie knows she doesn't get one if she pecks.

Okay! Do you have your silkie with other hens and roosters that are hard feathered?

 

[the3quail]

My hen, she is actually solitary, our old roosters, were very rude to her, so she lives by herself, and she is just fine. We have 2 baby chickens, in the brooder, soon to be free ranging. We have no roosters though.

Okay! Do you have your silkie with other hens and roosters that are hard feathered?

 

[Owenp_2]

My hen, she is actually solitary, our old roosters, were very rude to her, so she lives by herself, and she is just fine. We have 2 baby chickens, in the brooder, soon to be free ranging. We have no roosters though.

Oh. Does she do well with other breeds?

 

[the3quail]

Oh. Does she do well with other breeds?

She does actually! She hates my quail, but thats normal. She loves to snuggle with us and the baby chickens.

 

[Chicalina]

I have 1 silkie hen, they are amazing! Everytime we come outside, she runs to us. They are very friendly, but you CAN NOT just put new chicks out with them. They will show their dominance, with a pecking order, which can kill new chicks. Do daily sessions, putting the silkie in their cage for about 10 minutes. if she/he pecks, give the babies a treat, but make sure the silkie knows she doesn't get one if she pecks.

Any chicks need gentle introduction to a flock. This is not a silkie thing, it is a chicken thing.

In fact, Silkies are more likely than any other breed to adopt the chicks as their own!!