thought we had a silkie, but we discovered a partridge cochin

[bantybabylover]

we picked out what we thought was a red silkie, but we found different. we realized she wasnt when we got four more. the new silkies were fluff all over, the little banty red only had furr on her feet. i searched through several web sites and discovered she is a partridge cochin. i really need to get her picture, she is so small. in fact i fear she may be too small to produce much of an egg, but we are thrilled. even better we have realized the 3 others we were told were colored ameraucanas are easter eggers. we also have 2 more we are trying to identify. its like treasure hunting, we cant wait until they start laying.

 

[Stiggy]

If that's when you were told when you bought them, then the people selling must be having a hell of a mix up with others as well. you will find that Silkies and cochins are quite different, and Silkies in particular need a different sort of care ( they need to be warmer and dryer than average as they are not water proof and are susseptiable to chills more) they will lay small eggs, though its been over a decade since I had them last, so I couldn't tell you how big they will be in comparison to the Silkie eggs, which can range from small, to med eggs that are a good snack/ lunchbox size

 

[donrae]

Trust me, she'll lay. I have a hen small enough to fit in the feeder (she tried to go broody there

)



She lays like a champ! Bantam eggs just mean you use two eggs for each one the recipe calls for, and sometimes throw in an extra.

I think you'll be pleased with your Cochin...I have two partridge bantam Cochins in the grow-out pen right now. They're adorable!

 

[bantybabylover]

to stiggy, i know that silkies love it warm. on chilly mornings (below 70) i keep them in from it, concerned the feathers on the white silkie legs are getting long. i have learned they can have lice in them. we have been teaching them we are friends, they are a bit skiddish. glad to hear the cochin will lay eggs, i would love to find a rooster for the cochin. we chose to seggregate our rooster, he is mean to the girls, california white. next spring we may be looking around for a docile rooster. the cochin walks around like a samauri, we enjoy watching her. but meanwhile we will be protective of our silkies, the cochin takes nothing off the others. the feed store we got them from got alot mixed up, so far. but it doesnt matter, we are enjoying them all. wouldnt trade a one, except the rooster

 

[keesmom]

Silkies can handle temperatures below 70, so there is no reason to have to keep them in. I'd hate to live where you are if below 70 is considered chilly!

 

[donrae]

Second the fact your silkies can be outside all the time. I have 5ish week old silkie chicks outside with their broody momma (same hen I pictured above, in fact!) and they're not really fitting under her anymore. They get exposed to however cold it gets at night and have done just fine. They're not that much different than other chicken breeds

 

[bantybabylover]

well guess i am an overprotective chicken mom, well they dont stay in all morning, by around 7 or 8 its warmer. our nights here have been damp and chilly, even for a menopausal woman. but it warms up pretty fast. guess i will let the little buggers loose with the herd. i did read they dont winter well without some heat to the coup. so we have prepared for that. i live in the midwest and we have been getting weird weather for this time of year, snow in april was a kick.

 

[Stiggy]

@keesmom and @donrae . where I live it gets very cold, and is very very wet. due to this the silkies cannot be outside in winter, as they get wet, cold and die. the mud and water holes are the least of their problems here in winter and there are no winter predetors bar cats and dogs ( which the dogs keep out anyways) . I realise that since you are most likely to be on the other side of the world, it will be summerish and will not be all that cold ( bar those places that never really heat up) however I am not, hence I have said that keeping them out of the wet and cold is a good idea. I would hate for them to get sick and die due to this especially when they are beloved pets and likely to be younger.

theres nothing wrong with being over protective of your chickens ( unlike humans they wont resent it hahaha) and the saying does say, better safe than sorry

 

[keesmom]

@keesmom and @donrae . where I live it gets very cold, and is very very wet. due to this the silkies cannot be outside in winter, as they get wet, cold and die. the mud and water holes are the least of their problems here in winter and there are no winter predetors bar cats and dogs ( which the dogs keep out anyways) . I realise that since you are most likely to be on the other side of the world, it will be summerish and will not be all that cold ( bar those places that never really heat up) however I am not, hence I have said that keeping them out of the wet and cold is a good idea. I would hate for them to get sick and die due to this especially when they are beloved pets and likely to be younger.

theres nothing wrong with being over protective of your chickens ( unlike humans they wont resent it hahaha) and the saying does say, better safe than sorry

To each his own. I let mine out in the winter, and I don't heat my coops. The silkies have done just fine. It gets cold here too. If I left them in because of cold and wet they would have been cooped up for 8 months straight. We even had a freeze 2 weeks ago. They were happier getting out. All the birds were.

 

[Stiggy]

fair enough, I take it your cold is a ice frozen type but not drenched wet type? ours snows and gets to -10 below but its more of a wet harsh cold wind type. right now as I type it is pouring down, we are flooded out and the water is min of 3 inches deep and almost a foot in other places on the property. the neighbouring town is under water with severe flooding and most of my town is as well