Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[DiamondDust]

My silkies seemed to like roosting when they were juveniles but once full sized they started sleeping on the ground. They have access to roosts lower down, higher up, and in between, but prefer the floor, go figure!

 

[Flaming Chicken]

Ok so who started this rumor that silkies sit on the ground and dont roost? I keep reading this all over BYC in various threads. I have a single silkie who roosts with the rest of the birds, and I know a few folks who breed silkies and they all say their silkies roost as well. I am starting to wonder if silkie owners who say that silkies wont roost is becuase they have their roosts too high or didnt even bother to offer them roosts at all.

I have 1 silkie, She is about 8 months old. No eggs yet but my Rhodebar rooster has let me know that she is indeed a girl. She roosts on the lowest perch about 9 inches above the floor. I also have a D'uccle who perches on the top perch at about 3 1/2 feet. My 2nd attempt at keeping banties and thank goodness, both hens. The last time I tried, 3 were all boys.

 

[DeltaBluezTess]

I did a chicken check on my Silkies. All were on perches that were 18 inches to four feet high. One hen was in the nest box which is about a foot off the floor. The only time I have ever seen my Silkies roost on the floor was when they had chicks under them.

 

[Dwkuska]

With such a range of answers I am wondering if roosting on the ground/perch is a conditioned response. Either that or perphaps the silkie species is indifferent to where they perch. It just seems odd that silkie chicken(even if they are not natural) would ignore instinct and just plop on the ground wherever they are.

 

[Tikkijane]

Ok so who started this rumor that silkies sit on the ground and dont roost? I keep reading this all over BYC in various threads. I have a single silkie who roosts with the rest of the birds, and I know a few folks who breed silkies and they all say their silkies roost as well. I am starting to wonder if silkie owners who say that silkies wont roost is becuase they have their roosts too high or didnt even bother to offer them roosts at all.

Most of mine roost. I have multiple level roosts. The boys are at the top with the LFs. One of the girls is in love with my huge SLW and often sleeps with him on the top roostm and then I have a few who prefer a corner. Go figure.

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

With such a range of answers I am wondering if roosting on the ground/perch is a conditioned response. Either that or perphaps the silkie species is indifferent to where they perch. It just seems odd that silkie chicken(even if they are not natural) would ignore instinct and just plop on the ground wherever they are.

maybe roosting verses cuddling up on the floor is just a matter of temperature?
In the spring and summer when it's warm my hens all go up and roost, in the winter they prefer to be on the ground with the ducks.
My chickens are mixed breeds, i have two silky mix's, a RIR, a leghorn, and a mystery breed.

 

[mikeyb]

Yo everybody!
Hello to all the new peeps that I have missed as I've not been here for quite awhile. Tis good to see some of my old friends still posting here.

I also see there's no night crew either. Dang.

Anyway, just stopped by to say Hi! I was 1,000 posts behind so I just read the past few days and called it good.

 

[Slinglings]

I have a rooster free to a good home. I am in NE Seattle. He is an EE, hatched first week of August.

 

[DeltaBluezTess]

deleted....not relevant...

 

[Staciaw755]

I have 3 unsexed white silikies that are 3 months old. Eastern Washington