YIPEEEEEEE DH WANTS SILKIES

[Dar]

OK I am going to an auction on saturday and DH has a friend who has been many times B4 and says you can get all kids of breeds there...DH tells me last night he wants silkies.....

so here I am trying to contain my excitement and i tell him I will do some research on them today...

so for all you silkie fans out there I need all the info I can get on silkies...

1) Cold?...can they handle it?...do they have to be brought in during the winter and make shelter in the basement? (we got to -22C this winter without the windchill I have a heater in the coop but I could not even keep the water from freezin but we are rebuliding the coop this summer with better insulation.

2) size?...are they small chickens or do they get to the size of a typical mutt hen?

3)..all the pros and cons you can think of...I dont want to get them and then have second thoughts after they are here..

4) can I mix them with my other chcikens? (after the quarantine phase of course)

 

[allaboutdemchicks]

Silkies....they are just so warm and fuzzy! I LOVE my Silkies...they are small, especially the pullets. If they are of breeding age I wouldn't put them for a big Standard size roo to "chase". Other bantam size are fine.

You have to remember that they can't fly or can't see very well because of all the feathering on their crests. This will make them not only the low boys of the pecking order, but so easy for preditors to pick off. But on the other hand, not hard for you to catch!

I'm not going to help you much on that cold....I'm in 'bama, so..what's snow? haha

They don't roost up high, instead they are on the ground.

While in quarentine, worm and treat for external parasites. Not all chicken owners recognizes problems that come up in the chicken world like all us members of BYC, and you can save some major headaches by preventing something early on.

Final word....I can't wait to see what you come home with at the auction! Watching for pics!

Claudia

 

[debilorrah]

1) Ih ave no idea
2) Small hens, small eggs, broody birds
3) I have no idea

But I want one too!!!
4) YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[swampducks]

The poor deluded man!

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

Quote:
1. They would love a special place in the basement. My silkie pen has a light for those cold nights.

2. Bantam - they aren't the smallest but they are smaller than a mutt.

3. 90% are sweet the other 10% are mean mainly because they like to protect what is theirs. I have only had one mean one and he was recently rehomed after I could take no more. Will raise anything!

4. I have seen it done (my dad has his whites running free with the other chickens, ducks, and goats). I keep mine seperate.

Go Get Silkies

 

[Dar]

Quote:
see the key is you have to let him think he talked me into it.... but i have a chicken calender with the cutest lil silkies in it... its all about the planning... molding the mind if you will..

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]