# Silkie chickens



## Kokoschicks (Sep 13, 2012)

Does anyone know any basic info on raising silkie chickens?


----------



## oakwood (Aug 21, 2012)

They are no different to rear than any breed of chicken .
Very hard to known what gender they are as young birds .


----------



## rob (Jun 20, 2012)

i have a silkie and its no diffrent to any other chicken


----------



## adorson (Jul 19, 2012)

There are just a few things that are different. They do not fly well at all and most do not use a perch. I do have a few that make it onto a perch but the majority make a silkie pile on the floor of the coop. As they mature, watch to be sure they can see to eat and drink if they have a large, full crest. If it is pretty full then you might need trim or put in a pony tail so they can see better!  Since they can't see the best with a full crest, they are more prone to predators.


----------



## Kokoschicks (Sep 13, 2012)

Thankyou! Any idea how old are they when they start laying eggs? I have a hen and a rooster.


----------



## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

I just read 6-8 months but I've heard lots of people say 5-6 months. Depends on hen, season, stress levels.


----------



## rob (Jun 20, 2012)

good point about the crest.


----------



## Kokoschicks (Sep 13, 2012)

Yeah cuz my hen is 7 months old and no eggs yet....


----------



## adorson (Jul 19, 2012)

Some are late bloomers but my earliest silkie was 4 months old when she started laying but that is unusual. My average is 5 to 7 months but some can go even longer.


----------



## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

They usually start laying at around 30 weeks. The best way to get them to roost is to put boards or something they can walk on to a low roost, and put them on it nightly until they start to do it themselves. I had some that roosted in the rafters, but I had a wooden ladder that they would climb/hop up to get to the rafters. Handle them often, they are the sweetest things ever!!!


----------



## Kokoschicks (Sep 13, 2012)

Alright thanks! She sleeps in her nesting box but I haven't got an egg yet :/


----------



## dfwquiltr37 (Aug 13, 2012)

I just love my silkies. I have white, hens and just got them a white roo, 2 buffs and I have a really pretty mixed silkie roo I put them with. have a blue or black hen or rooster I a waiting for it to grow up just a little bit more before I put him or her in there with my others. And a friend just called me to see if i wanted 40 more LOL. She knows a lady who is getting rid of all her silkies and just doing 2 certain other breeds. I asked her how much to told me the lady is giving them to her and she will pass them on to me. This way I do not have to pay for any of them. I am not sure of the colors and when I can get to her to get them she is in the next county from me. Mine like to huddle outside their house rigt now sense the weather is still nice. I think I will have to start putting them back into the coop and block off the door so they will stay in there. Afaid when it finally does stay cold they will not go in the house. I need to up their protein or find some Egg Ration feed to help them start laying more. I sure noticed a difference when we found some from an out of town feed store we stopped to horse feed on the way home.


----------



## grgfishkeeper (Oct 15, 2012)

Not to hijacking but can someone tell me how to tell these buggers apart. I got a black and white one. And a white

The white has little bumps for spurs but no gwattles or comb suppose to be 2 months

The black is a bit bigger and has a comb gwattles and spurs... 

I can't seem figure it out


----------



## grgfishkeeper (Oct 15, 2012)

Not to hijacking but can someone tell me how to tell these buggers apart. I got a black and white one. And a white

The white has little bumps for spurs but no gwattles or comb suppose to be 2 months

The black is a bit bigger and has a comb gwattles and spurs... 

I can't seem figure it out


----------

