Standard silkies?

[pawtraitart]

Does anybody know where I could get some standard silkies as opposed to bantams? Are they only available outside the US? Just curious.

 

[dct10]

well, I don't know where they got them, but a local farmer I know has both sizes. The larger Silkies are quite big...he says the roo is 4 Lbs and stands dramatically taller than the little guys. I will investigate and return

 

[dct10]

I didn't know there was such a thing either. However, I picked up some White Silkies from Tractor Supply just because there was only 9 left and they were destined for the trash can at closing in about 20 minutes. They were pitiful looking. Well, my wife and I's Christian hearts just couldn't let that happen to them so we bought all 9 even though we knew we may loose 'em. Next couple of days we lost 3 and we saved 6. As of July 1st 2017 they are 12 weeks old. 1 is Bantam size, the other 5 are larger then my Black Sex links that are 16 weeks old and they are tough as nails. So much for being docile. When I go in the coop 2 attack me and try to chomp on me like I'm corn on the cob. I think they're great though. Definitely some of my favorites. Here's a pic of 'em with a Black Sex link who is 4 weeks older. They're not Bantam size.
View attachment 1059919

Trash can?!! You mean to tell me Tractor Supply were going to through living creatures into the trash? until they died? I think that would have pissed the entire world off. Where was this store located? Completely unacceptable and illegal. Even though they are considered livestock, there are still cruelty laws that apply...just like farmers who don't feed their horses. Incredible.

 

[jab91864]

I thought all silkies were bantam ?? I must have missed something along the way...lol

Julie

 

[peeps7]

I don't know that there is a thing. You might have to breed a silkie with a standard cochin and keep breeding that generation with another until you get a standard silkie.
Silkie/Cochin
silkiecochin/silkie
silkiecochin3/4/silkie
Silkie/silkie

 

[silkiechicken]

I think its a eurpoean thing. As for can you get them, I think the "standard bantam" is under 2 lbs, while the "standard" is something above that. I know I've gotten a hatchery silkie bantam that was like 3 lbs as an adult! In europe I think they just divide the birds between big and small. Although a 6 lb silkie would be hilarious.

 

[homecatmom]

This post just jumped out and scared me!! I got up late today and turned on the computer and sent a private email to SilkieChicken called "Silkie Bantams?". I get a nice reply to my questions and then log into the forum. What I want to know is who is reading over my shoulder? Makes me feel like we are in the Twilight Zone!

Cathy

 

[pawtraitart]

It's not fair that the US doesn't have access to many of the European chicken varieties. It's inevitable that the ones that I'm most interested in, I can't get! hehe

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

Here's the deal: There are two types of silkies, Standard and Bantam. What we have in the US is sort of mid-sized between the two.

I'm not really sure if you can get them here. Hmm. Might be worth a websearch if you really want them.


-Meghan

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Every once in a while there is a lady on ebay that sells standard silkies. She got them by crossing bantams to standard black orps or something. They are large and not to bad looking. Here in America, many of the silkie 'bantams' are standard weights. I have seen silkies that are the size of my standard wyandottes as far as size. I think that they should start weighing birds at shows because the SOP only allows birds to be 20% over standard weights and I know that many of the silkies are 50% or more. I have seen some small tiny silkies from hatcheries but thats it, many are large now. People breed for crest size and feathering on feet instead of type and size.