Thinking about getting a Silkie

[lilapot]

Recently one of our chickens died, and now we only have two. I want to get two more. I was thinking about getting a Silkie. I heard that they are docile, heat resistant, and pretty good layers.

Could you share your experiences with Silkies? I live in Houston, so they need to be heat resistant. I'd like to have them be pretty good layers. They need to be docile, and okay with kids. Would Silkies be good, or is there another breed I need to know about? I already have an Americana and a Brahma (although she's sick, cross your fingers for her)

Thanks!

 

[The Golden Egg5]

I have a silkie chick and she is super sweet. The only problem I see with your plan, is that silkies are bantams and yours are largefowl. The silkie could get picked on.
A great breed that I would recommend is a buff Orpington. They are super docile and they lay a nice brown egg just about every day. I currently have 5.
Also, when introducing chicks to a flock, make sure you have more than one and that they are over 10 weeks old so they can protect themselves.

 

[chickens really]

The only thing with Silkies is they are very Broody..Seams like they are always broody.

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

I had a silkie hen in with a flock of large fowl, including a BO rooster. She did very well; we even hatched out some BO/silkie crosses. Some silkies are larger for a bantam breed, so it does kind of depend on the bird.

 

[chickens really]

I have Crazy Alice...She is a Silkie cross and small..
Lives with Brahma Rooster and Orpington Hens..She is fine.

 

[Orpingtons43]

I also would recommend buff Orpingtons. Black australourps and Wyandottes are also good breeds that are family friendly and good layers.

 

[Sassysouth]

Before bringing any more chickens into your flock, see why your chickens are getting sick. If the next one dies, you should definitely get a necropsy.
I started my flock over with Bantams and got a few Silkies. They are okay, but I wouldn’t get them again. I just don’t think they are all that, just my opinion. They are NOT known for being good layers. What I hear about bantams in general, now that I have several, is none of them are good layers. Not sure if that is true.
It will he hard to integrate any kind of bantams in with full size chickens, unless they grow up from chicks together.
Good luck!

 

[lilapot]

The chickens who have died/are sick have different sicknesses. The one who died had a respiratory disease, and we think the sick chicken might have sour crop. She seems to be getting better though.