To Silkie or not to Silkie?

[Loupup98]

Drawbacks to having silkies with midwest weather? Mostly wondering if I need to do anything special to keep their feet healthy and clean during wet months (rain/snow). I currently have a flock of 18 chickens, none of them have feathered feet. Now that I've got my fall pullets off to a good start and laying, I want to add some fun little bantams to our farm family. The silkies are obviously adorable and popular but how much extra care do they need in snow/cold, rain/mud than a regular chicken? Also, anyone have success intermingling chickens of various sizes? I really would like to avoid 2 separate coops during the winter so thinking of building a "silkie suite" under my nesting boxes, for them to have their own space that the big ones cant get in to.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They are cute.
To be honest, they aren't an extremely cold hardy bird. Feathered feet are always a problem here, regardless of breed. They don't lay well (tiny eggs at that). They are relentlessly broody. They are often picked on by other birds. Their vaulted skulls can be a problem. Add to that they are very vulnerable to predators because they don't see well and can't fly.
If you want to have special housing that you can keep warmer, dry and predator proof and you must, go ahead.
Don't let me discourage you. Did I tell you I wouldn't own one?
I like big eggs and chickens that fend for themselves with out coddling but that's just me.

 

[Loupup98]

Thank you for the honest advice! I know people have them in cold areas but I don't personally know anyone with experience to ask. I am not opposed to giving them extra care, just want to know what I would be getting myself in to so I can plan accordingly. Your insight is very helpful

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You're welcome. I've never raised them but several friends have. I consider them needy compared to all the breeds I've raised.

 

[aart]

Agrees with CC.

 

[chickens really]

I have Silkies and provided heat all winter. Definitely not room temperature though. Many times they require a separate Coop away from standard Chickens only because Birds of a feather flock together and they can be picked on by other breeds.

 

[Chicksnmind]

I love my silkies but I live in FL. I bought bantam Orpington eggs to hatch though so I can get away from feathered legs. Poop sticks to their feathered feet.

Raised with regular feathered chickens I don’t think you will have a problem with them being pick on. I have a d’uccle and a EE and both are fine with the silkies but they were raised together.

 

[Horsetime]

I love my silkies and I had no issues with frostbite in our miserable Indiana weather. They don't like the rain and wind so tended to either boycott free ranging or hide in my horse barn. If it's raining at bedtime you will probably have to go find them and put them away as they'd rather sleep in the open in a dry area then get wet on their way to bed. I heated my coop for a week or two this winter when temps dipped to -37. I think the fact that silkies sleep in a pile and not having combs plus having furry feet kept them warm. A few of my big girls got frostbite on their combs.

They got along fine with my big chickens but didn't "hang out"

My biggest problem is that while predators like dining on chickens, they LOVE silkies. Slow and fluffy meant 3 dead slikies until I gave up free ranging them, moved them to their own coop, and kept them in a covered and fenced run. A hawk even flew into my barn to eat one, where I thought they were safe. My big chickens? Out in the middle of my horse pasture or in the hawk filled woods like idiots.

 

[Bhubbard]

I have one Silkie hanging with 1 Orpington, 4 Wyandotte’s, 2 barred rocks. They run around together as a gang. Does perfectly fine in cold. - 35 windchill this winter.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Watching this thread. I ordered 2 silkies to arrive this summer, and I wonder what the heck I've gotten myself into, too - LOL! But all this advice is great, even for a Cali girl who doesn't have to deal with midwest weather.