Silkies

[chick-love]

Hello,
I recently seen some Silky chickens and fell in love. I am in Madison WI and I want to be sure they are ok for the harsh winter we get? Also will they get along with other breeds such as the easter egger? What age do I have to purchase them to be sure they are hens and not roo's?
Thanks
Chick-love
(Angie)

 

[Stiggy]

Silkies are very docile, and will get bullied by other chickens that are bossy.. depends on your type of winter. Silkies need to be kept warm and dry in winter as their feathers get wet and they cannot dry themselves or keep themselves warm. thus they are quite susseptiable to colds, pnuemonia, chills and hypothermia. so if you have somewhere dry for them where they arnt getting wet then it should be fine. last year before I moved my Silkies were in an old tunnel house which was dry and warm and perfect for our flooding and snowy/ sleety winter.

 

[chick-love]

Silkies are very docile, and will get bullied by other chickens that are bossy.. depends on your type of winter. Silkies need to be kept warm and dry in winter as their feathers get wet and they cannot dry themselves or keep themselves warm. thus they are quite susseptiable to colds, pnuemonia, chills and hypothermia. so if you have somewhere dry for them where they arnt getting wet then it should be fine. last year before I moved my Silkies were in an old tunnel house which was dry and warm and perfect for our flooding and snowy/ sleety winter.

 

[chick-love]

Thank you! I do plan to have a raised coop with a ramp down to the run area. I will have a heating lamp in the winter. Are they smart enough to go in the coop if it raibs or snows?

 

[Stiggy]

Because they are so hard to sex I would suggest the 4-6 month range when one can be fairly certain as to what they are, however they can sometimes ' change' but it is not often.

 

[chick-love]

Thanks, I was afraid of that.I really want them as chicks. I wpuld love to raise them and let my children see them grow. I am just afraid of getting a rooster which I can not have in my city.

 

[Stiggy]

yes its a shame that you cant have roosters in a lot of places. yes they generally will depending on the hen. I have a couple who love shallow puddles/ the rain and I am constantly having to blow dry them with a hairdryer so that they don't get cold and sick. however if their coop has poly carb over the top then they would be fine/ stay dry. some places sell sexed chicks however I have never had a good run with sexed Silkies as they are so hard to breed and sex until they are older. ( I keep mine till they are about 14 weeks of age just to be sure of the pullets and any male ones who are obvious earlier are removed from the flock) . what colours are you thinking of getting?

 

[chick-love]

I seen a white one and I like the ohhhh I forgot, its like /white /grey mix.. Are they good layers. Do you sell them?

 

[Stiggy]

Sounds like a splash. That depends on what you are comparing them to. They do tend to go broody quite often which can be a pain however they can lay reasonably well ( of my 12 girls 3 are broody and I'm getting 5-6 eggs per day) which is good for them. I do in breeding season and through summer but its coming into winter so I only have my breeding stock left. However if where you are isn't winter then you should have no problems acquiring some