When are silkies big enough to go out side?

[Cuttlefishherder]

We have never had any bantam breeds before and it seem that our silkies are just plain itty bitty and that the can squeeze through just about any thing. We have a chain link fence and they can easily fit through the holes. Right now they are in a dog crate in the coop because they haven't been let free in the flock yet.

 

[suzeqf]

i'm not sure about silkies since mine are only 2 weeks old but i have a teeny 6 week old banty and i've put her outside in a large metal dog kennel with the other big girls and she can't escape and believe me she's tried

 

[Cuttlefishherder]

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They are just so teeny that I look at them and feel like I did some thing wrong, then I remember that they are bantys lol
I want them to get big enough to start running around because they have a full sized ameraucana buddy and she is the usual size we let our chicks out at, they are all the same age given about a four day gap and she is like twice their size.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Silkies outside? No, no, no! They should be kept inside, all snug and warm, with their own room and tv!

Seriously, i keep my chicks, especially silkies inside in a brooder until they are eight weeks old. i have kept some inside until they started laying eggs, but that was a special circumstance.

 

[SilkieMama17]

My silkies are still just lil babies, but I know I'll have a hard time letting them outside! They are just so small and fluffy and sweet! If I could keep them indoors forever, I would, but I don't think DH would like that too much! LOL

 

[suzeqf]

Quote:
They are just so teeny that I look at them and feel like I did some thing wrong, then I remember that they are bantys lol
I want them to get big enough to start running around because they have a full sized ameraucana buddy and she is the usual size we let our chicks out at, they are all the same age given about a four day gap and she is like twice their size.

1/2 my flock is banties and i raise them right along side my reg size chicks. i have a little silver/blue banty who is about 3 weeks old and she's smaller than a few of my 1-2 week old banty chicks

 

[Cuttlefishherder]

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Lol thats awesome, I wish we could keep them in the house but we dont have the space. Ours are 10 weeks and I keep them in a dog crate in the chicken coop. We had to make room for the last batch of chicks(mottled Houdans and a partridge Cochin) and then some surprise ducklings.

Silkies are so cute and cuddly and small that I am a bit uncomfortable with them outside at the size they are, but they love being out side sooo much. They see dirt and flop over and start kicking it every where in a furious dust bath lol

 

[QualityPolish]

Well, it may be different for silkies but, I put our Polish outside in their coop at 6 weeks. Now of course that is in the summer when it's all nice and hot outside. During spring and winter I wait until about 8 weeks for spring. That way you know they're ready, just watch the temps. If it's below 30... inside!