Smallholders Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Silkies  (Read 4289 times)

sokel

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • S W northumberland
Silkies
« on: September 03, 2012, 07:27:52 pm »
Anyone  keep them ?
Just been to the local shop (7 miles away lol) and someone needs a home for 2 pairs of Silkie bantams 1 white pair and 1 gold pair so we are going to collect them at 8pm  ::)
Graham

Greenmoor

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Lancashire
Re: Silkies
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2012, 08:09:06 pm »
We have two - Rihanna and Steven. They're mother and son, Steven moved himself in with the warrens, while Rihanna likes to live in the pig building with our millefleur  bantam, Jane  :)

Bramblecot

  • Joined Jul 2008
Re: Silkies
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2012, 09:22:19 pm »
I had them for quite a while - lovely little friendly hens.  They tend to go broody a lot but make great mums.  They are no good at getting out of the way of Monsieur Reynard so you need to take care of them.

sokel

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • S W northumberland
Re: Silkies
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2012, 09:51:14 pm »
Well the 4 of them are home and settled into one of the empty chicken houses for the night.
the cockerals have lived together since chicks and are now a year old and have been with the hens for 5 months. They have never been any problems between them so is there a good chance they will always live together ?
We dont have foxes up here so that wont be a problem
« Last Edit: September 03, 2012, 09:55:35 pm by sokel »
Graham

Bramblecot

  • Joined Jul 2008
Re: Silkies
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2012, 09:31:18 am »
You won't regret getting them :thumbsup: .  No foxes :o lucky you!  But then you are in God's country ;) ;) .  I have spent many happy hours in the past driving out from Crook to your area.

gillsta

  • Joined Apr 2011
  • Methlick Aberdeenshire
  • Gillsta
    • Facebook
Re: Silkies
« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2012, 10:35:22 pm »
My seven year old has 15 silkies all sizes large bantam and miniature. They really are lovely wee things so good and easy to look after. Not so good in the wet though, they do like to shelter from the rain. 
Showing and breeding Pygmy Goats
Always room for another goat as he will never notice

Chris H

  • Joined Oct 2011
Re: Silkies
« Reply #6 on: September 05, 2012, 02:28:32 am »
I love my little one, she came with two frizzles and they are such fun to watch, she does go broody at the drop of a hat, but as already said they make great mothers.
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

Tilly

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • "Possibilities and miracles mean the same thing"
Re: Silkies
« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2012, 12:44:17 pm »
 
I`ve got some too .... :excited:
 
They are very docile and don`t seem aggressive to each other like other breeds,they don`t fly ,so can easily be contained in a area , and they keep me in eggs all year round! :thumbsup: .
 
I first had them for hatching fertile eggs which they make excellent broody hens and seem very happy to raise goslings,duckling`s and turkeys :o
 
I think they are great  ;D , but do need a little extra care winter time - as they aren`t as robust as most,here they are in their shed .....
 
....just a note to other silkie owners,my little flock are on a complete chicken food but this year I have given them a extra vitamin boost.It seems Silkies are a bit prone to Crook neck (vitamin B deficiency)which caught me unaware this summer,but thats another story!
sokel ...good luck with your new chooks.
Tilly :wave:
 
 

scotelf

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • West Lothian
Re: Silkies
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2012, 11:48:29 am »
I have silkies, and hatched my first chicks this year  :) . I was a very anxious mummy. Nearly all the eggs hatched fine though and I have 6 young silkies. Just waiting to see which are hens and which are boys! One of my silkies hatched me 2 buff Orpington chicks too as I couldn't find any hens for my buff Orpington cockerel. I do hope they are girls.


I have 2 cockerel silkes in one pen with 5 hens. They have always been together and don't fight. They don't seem to be aggressive breed.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2012, 11:51:15 am by scotelf »
Lynn :)

sokel

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • S W northumberland
Re: Silkies
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2012, 08:00:03 am »
I forgot about this topic, The Silkies are here and have settled in well. We are getting 2 eggs a day from them so maybe we will get some chicks as the cockerals are deffinatly treading the hens and we have so many broody bantams at the moment its unreal
Graham

ppd

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • Sutherland
Re: Silkies
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2012, 05:37:56 pm »
We have a silkie cross (I think she is!!! as we were given her when her owner died) along with her 2 kids - a pol lovely little red hen and a great big (about the biggest I have ever seen) embden goose, called Graham. What a funny family they made and Graham would rub his head along her sides and I am sure he thought he was a chicken. He now has a wife - Grace and mummy lives with the hens and has just hatched her second brood - she is a fab mummy :thumbsup:

 

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