I've always thought silkies looked cool, and some time ago, I decided to get one. I'd already had a bantam rosecomb of some kind, so when someone said "bantam silkie" I figured that was the bird for me. The rosecomb's friend had escaped and run away, so I really needed another hen, pronto.
Then they brought it over.
When I looked in that box, something seemed... off. I don't know if it was the look in her eyes, or the fact that she was much bigger than my rosecomb, or if it was the low growling coming out of her, but right away I knew that this bird was not right in the head. I shook it off; she was probably just stressed.
I had a screened in gazebo at the time, and would let my hens out in there. Well, when this silkie was let out I noticed something else about her. Her feet. They were twisted, hideous, with dirt/poo caked on and long, mangled talons that resembled pics of "the world's longest fingernails", yellowed and twisting.
Unlike my Molly, the rosecomb, this silkie faced me down and growled when I approached her to pick her up. But I had to do something about those feet! So I caught her and picked her up, pinning her to my side while with a pair of nail clippers and a wet cloth, I made her feet slightly less repulsive. Really, I should have called the seller then, but I didn't want her to have to go back to a place that let her feet get like that.
Did I mention that the whole time I was holding her, she gave me the "evil eye" and growled? I hadn't previously known that hens could growl.
She (dubbed Roxy) and Molly went into the coop. All was well for a few days, aside from bad mood Roxy clearly wishing for my death every time I saw her, and refusing to allow Molly on the roost.
Then I found Molly, my pretty girl, dead on the floor of the coop, pecked to death. This new hen was a serial killer. That explained the look in her eye. Clearly, I was next. However, without Molly, the cold nights were too much for Roxy, and she died.
Since then, I've done a lot more research, learned a lot, and won't be making the same mistakes again. But to this day, I cannot get a silkie. They are linked in my head with "mutant hateful witch"
Then they brought it over.
When I looked in that box, something seemed... off. I don't know if it was the look in her eyes, or the fact that she was much bigger than my rosecomb, or if it was the low growling coming out of her, but right away I knew that this bird was not right in the head. I shook it off; she was probably just stressed.
I had a screened in gazebo at the time, and would let my hens out in there. Well, when this silkie was let out I noticed something else about her. Her feet. They were twisted, hideous, with dirt/poo caked on and long, mangled talons that resembled pics of "the world's longest fingernails", yellowed and twisting.
Unlike my Molly, the rosecomb, this silkie faced me down and growled when I approached her to pick her up. But I had to do something about those feet! So I caught her and picked her up, pinning her to my side while with a pair of nail clippers and a wet cloth, I made her feet slightly less repulsive. Really, I should have called the seller then, but I didn't want her to have to go back to a place that let her feet get like that.
Did I mention that the whole time I was holding her, she gave me the "evil eye" and growled? I hadn't previously known that hens could growl.
She (dubbed Roxy) and Molly went into the coop. All was well for a few days, aside from bad mood Roxy clearly wishing for my death every time I saw her, and refusing to allow Molly on the roost.
Then I found Molly, my pretty girl, dead on the floor of the coop, pecked to death. This new hen was a serial killer. That explained the look in her eye. Clearly, I was next. However, without Molly, the cold nights were too much for Roxy, and she died.
Since then, I've done a lot more research, learned a lot, and won't be making the same mistakes again. But to this day, I cannot get a silkie. They are linked in my head with "mutant hateful witch"
