The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Fanackapan on June 10, 2013, 08:37:04 pm

Title: silkies
Post by: Fanackapan on June 10, 2013, 08:37:04 pm

Anybody else keep silkies ? I know a lot of folk are against them because of their tendency to broodiness but I have 4 white silkies and find them a lovely little hen. One does go into broody mode a bit too often but the others seem content pecking about in the garden with the rest of our mixed flock. The eggs are small but really packed into that wee shell, when cracked open not all that much difference with some of the other girls at all. They mix all day but do have a seperate run and coop , the run is fully roofed and enclosed as when the weather is really bad in the winter I keep them in to prevent their feathers getting a real soaking as they do take longer to dry off.
Funny little things from the back though when they run they remind me of Donald Duck and his nephews  :roflanim:

Title: Re: silkies
Post by: happygolucky on June 10, 2013, 08:54:23 pm

I like the idea of having some silkies, our garden is quite shelterd but as we are up for sale I dare not buy anything......we actualy re homed our hens, well all exept 4 Black rocks, they keep the weeds down and me and the dogs in scrambled eggs and my husband in cake etc.
We are happy where we are but when we move we will see what type of land/garden we end up with as some houses we have seen look too handy for a Fox dinner :innocent:

Title: Re: silkies
Post by: sokel on June 10, 2013, 09:00:18 pm

I have silkies, blacks, gold and white. Want some more but they are like gold dust around here

Title: Re: silkies
Post by: Fanackapan on June 10, 2013, 09:45:00 pm

My geography is shocking :-[ I know someone Sheffield way that breeds silkies amongst other things - is that too far a jaunt for you ?

Title: Re: silkies
Post by: sokel on June 10, 2013, 09:55:40 pm

Thanks but its about a 6hr round trip and that's without any stops  :-\

Title: Re: silkies
Post by: Daisys Mum on June 11, 2013, 05:52:24 pm

I had 4 silkies until Friday night when foxy took them all along with Violet Elizabeth the Maran, they were my yard hens who loved to help with the mucking out. Really annoyed with myself as they were still out when I went to shut in the others at 10 o'clock and as I was really tired I left them out and went to bed. Will have to get some more as they were such little characters.