# Silkies!!



## Mamachickof14

Just wondering why alot of you have the Silkies...what do you like about them...I am thinking in the future trying them?? Are they easy keepers? Jen


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## kaufranc

I have standard size chickens . Went to a fair and that is when I saw my first Silkie. They were so small and fluffy! Found a pair of Silkies off Craigslist for 10 bucks and that's when I fell in love. Now I want more! They are so friendly and easy to pick up and hold . I have noticed a lot of people show them at shows. I just want more to love, I don't show mine.


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## kaufranc




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## kaufranc

George and Louise was prior post.
This is Edith, my new young pullet.


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## ChookChic

They are just so cute!!! And they have fluffy feet.


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## 7chicks

They're beautiful!!! What little fluff balls!


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## rob

mine are purely pets. well its the wife's realy.


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## WindWhipt

I just got silkies a couple of months ago. They are pets and have been kept inside, living in a large dog crate. They have a pen that they are carried out to each day, then back inside at night. There are around 50 chickens at our place, they vary in age and breed, the Silkies are the sweetest by far. One of the hens likes to be zipped inside my jacket when I am walking around outside. Check this out...... Are the babies not the cutest things you have ever seen!? And Rob.....my husband says the chickens, the Silkies inparticular, are my pets too.......tough guys...uh-huh.....we women all know better!!!!


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## 7chicks

You said WindWhipt! My hubby is by far just as guilty of indulging the girls!!! They have him so wrapped around their little claws. When it gets to be within less than an hour for him to be home, they are at the front of the house waiting. One look (that cute one eyed look they give) and he's there giving them treats. Sucker!  This is a few of them waiting ...


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## muranofarms

Because they look like this! The silkies are my babies, they are just sweet little balls of puff...and the best mommy's ever!


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## Italy-Dan

In Italy we call these beautiful hens "Moroseta"


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## Energyvet

I love that name - Moroseta. Beautiful! Much better than Silkie. Lol


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## 7chicks

Beautiful babies muranofarms!!!! Okay, now would everyone quit giving me this baby fever! I gotta quit looking at these posts!


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## aussiechicks

Have to share my experience with them I just adore them!! They are quiet and make perfect mumma hens. They put up with children and are easily caught.


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## Italy-Dan

What beautiful photo!


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## kaufranc

Got 2 new Silkies today! A baby boy we named Archie to be with Edith. We also saw this beautiful Silkie that was multi colored rooster and could not be a show bird that was calling for us!


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## Energyvet

Nice score there Kaufranc. Well done.


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## rob

i love silkies they great birds with fantastic personalities


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## ChickensSayMoo

We have just the one silkie. It is spring here at the moment, & she lays an egg nearly every day. Very cute & entertaining. 
Most of the children who visit, pick her as their favourite chook. She has a weird & very deep voice...I think she was crossed with a muppet!  (just joking)
She does go broody...a LOT! A am considering getting some fertile eggs for her next time she goes broody; as they are suppose to be the best mums!


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## robopetz

Just got me a week old silkie. Such a spoiled lil one I tell you. She sleeps next to our bed. Will be an indoor pet. I also plan to get her diapers when she gets older. They are just the cutest!! Can't wait till mines gets a lil older. I've yet to name her...


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## kaufranc

How precious! I wish I could keep mine inside all the time. Boyfriend will only let them come in to visit!


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## robopetz

kaufranc said:


> How precious! I wish I could keep mine inside all the time. Boyfriend will only let them come in to visit!


Hi there, tell him you will get yours some diapers, and there ya go, no poop anywhere lol.


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## kaufranc

If it was only that easy Robo!


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## robopetz

kaufranc said:


> If it was only that easy Robo!


I know right!? I read and heard some people actually house train their chicken pets to go on the pads or even to wait at the door to go outside to potty? I need to look into it more and try that as mines will be a full time house pet. Of course with outside walks here n there.


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## ChickensSayMoo

How gorgeous muranofarms! Hard to tell which end is which  and love the colour of that one up front.

I just showed my 12 year old your silkie babies....lol very much jumping up and down and I WANT ONE! I WANT ONE! ha ha ha


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## WindWhipt

robopetz said:


> Just got me a week old silkie. Such a spoiled lil one I tell you. She sleeps next to our bed. Will be an indoor pet. I also plan to get her diapers when she gets older. They are just the cutest!! Can't wait till mines gets a lil older. I've yet to name her...


I have chicken saddles from this place http://www.louisescountrycloset.com/ and will be buying some diapers soon......yes....for Silkies in the house!!!


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## amandahalterman

kaufranc said:


> Got 2 new Silkies today! A baby boy we named Archie to be with Edith. We also saw this beautiful Silkie that was multi colored rooster and could not be a show bird that was calling for us!


Is your white one a hen? She looks just like my hen, little


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## rob

i wish i could keep mine indoors as well, but i draw the line at diapers lol


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## kaufranc

Amanda , the white one in the pick is suppose to be a Roo for my white hen Edith. I am hoping to hatch some babies but neither of my hens are laying. They are old enough too!


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## amandahalterman

kaufranc said:


> Amanda , the white one in the pick is suppose to be a Roo for my white hen Edith. I am hoping to hatch some babies but neither of my hens are laying. They are old enough too!


I'm not a chicken pro but that looks just like mine and she's a hen, I can take a pic of her tomorrow and you would think there twins


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## kaufranc

Does your hen lay? I am beginning to think mine don't ! Do you hatch your own? They are pretty popular here in NH. Seems like everyone is either selling them or showing them.


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## amandahalterman

kaufranc said:


> Does your hen lay? I am beginning to think mine don't ! Do you hatch your own? They are pretty popular here in NH. Seems like everyone is either selling them or showing them.


Mine just started laying about a mth and a half ago, she was almost 9 mths when she started laying, no I don't hatch mine, I bought them as peeps, they are great! I love silkies, this spring I'll get more!


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## chadsara

kaufranc said:


> Does your hen lay? I am beginning to think mine don't ! Do you hatch your own? They are pretty popular here in NH. Seems like everyone is either selling them or showing them.


 I have one that just started to lay a month ago and i think she is going broody already!!! I guess i'll just let her have some peeps!!


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## amandahalterman

This is my silkie hen


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## amandahalterman

amandahalterman said:


> This is my silkie hen


She is on the left, in the cage


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## kaufranc

Oh my gosh, they are so cute! How precious they are! They are my favorite chickens! I just want to squish them !


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## amandahalterman

kaufranc said:


> Oh my gosh, they are so cute! How precious they are! They are my favorite chickens! I just want to squish them !


See how my hen in the cage looks like yours that u think is a roo? She is a definately egg layer, she just had a partial prolapsed vent, and I had to keep getting the eggs unstuck, that's why she's in the cage


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## rob

there is something truly special a silkie.


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## kaufranc

My 3 Silkies...
Oscar, Archie and Edith


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## robopetz

Whats yalls favorite silkie color?


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## amandahalterman

I only have white, so right now they are my favorite!


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## kaufranc

I agree Amanda, white for me too! The buffs are pretty close though!


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## Diana

In case no one else mentioned it, they are also wonderful brooders and mothers. They will hatch and raise just about anything and will give their lives to protect them. i love them also but have none just now. The foxes around here are breaking my heart.
I am fixing my chicken house before I get more.


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## chadsara

16 silkie eggs in the bator right now and woke to a pip.. now there are 2!!!


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## kaufranc

How exciting chadsara! Are they from different parents? Do you plan on selling them? Keep us posted! Would love to see them!


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## robopetz

White seems to be the most popular. If I could choose it probably would be a splash of white and blue.

Congrats on the pips chadsara, keep us posted and snap lotsa photos. They are too darn cute at that age!


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## chadsara

They are taking a while to hatch but so far 3 are out and the 12 pips and i dont see anything with one. i have to decide who to keep and will sell the others. The parents are 2 buff hens and the roo is a blue...Pics soon


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## robopetz

Ooh, it will be interested to see what colors they will be. Can't wait!


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## chadsara

final count 10 chicks... 5 blue/black 3 buff 2 splash.. the rest didnt make it


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## kaufranc

10 chicks! I am so jealous! I want a Silkie baby chick so bad! Can't wait to see pics!


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## piglett

Mamachickof14 said:


> Just wondering why alot of you have the Silkies...what do you like about them...I am thinking in the future trying them?? Are they easy keepers? Jen


we already have 2 mixed silkie hens & we are picking up 8 babys tomorrow. 
1st they are ez to pick up , i walk rite over to the roost & pick up whichever one i wish
2nd they love to hatch out eggs, any kind you wish to stick under em
they can only cover 5 or 6 but still no bator needed just get some slikie hens & your good to go

piglett


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## piglett

kaufranc said:


> Does your hen lay? I am beginning to think mine don't ! Do you hatch your own? They are pretty popular here in NH. Seems like everyone is either selling them or showing them.


just happened to see your location....wow
we are rite up in wolfeboro 
56 birds & counting ...he he


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## WindWhipt

kaufranc said:


> 10 chicks! I am so jealous! I want a Silkie baby chick so bad! Can't wait to see pics!


I have a few Silkie chicks that need a new momma. They are out of a blue roo and the hens are 2 splash and 1 blue. One of my splash girls is almost white. Domino is the darker splash hen, she has 5 chicks that she sat on and hatched. Originally there were 9 eggs, one ended up not being fertile, one died in the shell, it didn't even pip, and another died after it hatched. She is doing pretty good with the 5 she has. I may add 4 more that hatched in the bator about the same time as hers. Gertrude is splash but almost white, and Ms. Piggy is the blue hen. kaufranc if you want Silkies I can try to get some decent pictures of what I have. One of my Silkies may end up staying in the house...going to buy a chicken diaper as see how that goes. Crazy huh??!!!!


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## kaufranc

Windwhipt, your girls are beautiful !
I have just white silkies but your Splashes are gorgeous too! I would love to see your pics.

Piglett, we are neighbors! We live behind Hannafords. Where are you going to get chicks from? Is this a bad time to get babies? You must have to keep them inside right? Pics please and thank you!


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## TerryQui

I love Silkies! I have five of them right now and would like some splash or paint to add in.


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## Diana

I love all your pics. I hope to get some before to much longer.


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## piglett

kaufranc said:


> Piglett, we are neighbors! We live behind Hannafords. Where are you going to get chicks from? Is this a bad time to get babies? You must have to keep them inside right? Pics please and thank you!


we went over west of concord to get these 8 little cuties
1 is 5 weeks old & the rest are all 3 weeks old
i'll be looking for a colored boy come spring to breed with how ever many girls i get out of this batch.
they are under 2 heatlamps out in the woodshed rite now
this week i'll start working on building them an area inside my big coop
once they get some age to them i'll let them hang out with the adult birds. they are camera shy but trust me there are 8 of em in that dog crate


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## oakwood

All absolutely gorgeous . 
Thank You all for posting your beautiful photos .


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## piglett

just got a FREE silkie rooster today too
so it looks like i'll see if my 2 silkie pullets that i already had would like some company


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## fuzziebutt

Just LOOK at the fuzzes, they are sooo cute!!!


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## carolyn28

Silkies are such sweet birds. You want ones that are bearded and as fluffy as can be. Different color variations gain in popularity at different times. Currently where I live Partridge and buff are the color du jour. I am in the process of breeding the smallest silkie I can. My favorite momma is teeny tiny and I am searching for the smallest rooster i can for her. My primary reason for silkies though is their broodiness. Mine will do several hatches of eggs i place under them throughout the season starting in April.


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## Diana

*I finally got some Silkies!*








I am raising them in the bathroom. Six in all. My early Christmas present.


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## kaufranc

Lucky girl! What a wonderful present!


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## Jeremysbrinkman

Dang it all now I want some silkies too... I really love any bird in a splash color


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## Diana

All six still doing well. Some blue, some splash and one partridge. I hold them each every day. They are so sweet. Working on a yard for the chicken house.


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## Energyvet

I just got a blue silky Roo. Need me some hens now.


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## robopetz

Pic! Pic? Pic! Haha


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## Energyvet

This was a pic from the previous owner. He is in a pen with two hens here. I only got the Roo because this guy can't have any Roos and he's currently keeping his chickens in his house cause he hasn't built a coop or run yet. I'll get better photos to post. Silkies are really pretty weird.


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## robopetz

Thanx for sharing! Nice ones. Weird? Like looks or personality?


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## Energyvet

Weird like looks. They're like little furry men. Lol. New pic from yesterday before it started raining again.


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## kaufranc

EV, he is so handsome !


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## robopetz

Standing tall and proud..


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## piglett

Energyvet said:


> Weird like looks. They're like little furry men. Lol. New pic from yesterday before it started raining again.


now a silkie mixed with a barred rock would be interesting looking i would say. i wonder if that would work???


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## Energyvet

The two I have are both male so I'm not gonna have any pics for you. Lol

I'd like to see that though.


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## Diana

Mine have gotten to spend some time in the sun the last few days.







Sorry it is not a very good picture.


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## piglett

mine are now 12 weeks old
starting to really go through some food 
i put a 6' long pen in the woodshed for em
in 6 more weeks they will join the big girls in the main coop
for now they are still on grower pellets


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## kaufranc

Piglett, what color are your Silkie's? At 12 weeks they are still pretty small right?


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## piglett

kaufranc said:


> Piglett, what color are your Silkie's? At 12 weeks they are still pretty small right?


my 8 babies are all white they are getting big FAST
my 2 adult hens are sort of a 2 tone brown looking color
i should post a pic of them. been outside on & off putting a hitch on the back of my "new to me truck"
the thing is it's not for that truck so i have to make it fit
lots of cutting & welding.


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## kaufranc

I would love to see some pics Piglett! I heard from another thread here that the boys have more pronounced combs and ear lobes. Does any of your babies fit this?


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## piglett

kaufranc said:


> I would love to see some pics Piglett! I heard from another thread here that the boys have more pronounced combs and ear lobes. Does any of your babies fit this?


 this is from back in Nov. when they were just 3 weeks old









this pic is a little more up to date, had so much going on i havn't had much time to take pictures of them 
















i can't see any real difference in any of them
but i only know about orpingtons which are just soooo different than silkies.
anyone know how to tell beside waiting for em to crow or lay an egg???


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## Energyvet

I have a hypothesis about the posture and angle of the chest to the feet, but as far as I know, you just have to wait and silkies are one of the very hardest.


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## amandahalterman

I have a silkie that's over a year old and I still don't know if it's male or female


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## piglett

amandahalterman said:


> I have a silkie that's over a year old and I still don't know if it's male or female


 put it in a pen with a known rooster, if they spar it's a boy
if the roo "jumps her" it's a girl

piglett


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## Energyvet

The chickens always know.........


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## LICHICK28

Post a pic of the front & back of head I will tell hen or roo


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## piglett

LICHICK28 said:


> Post a pic of the front & back of head I will tell hen or roo


 thanks LiChick i'll have to get some pics together

piglett


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## amandahalterman

piglett said:


> put it in a pen with a known rooster, if they spar it's a boy
> if the roo "jumps her" it's a girl
> 
> piglett


It's in with a roo, they don't do anything, there is no fighting, there is no breeding, it don't crow, and don't lay eggs, and it don't breed with hens, but it will sit on my hens eggs


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## amandahalterman

Here it is, outside of the cage of a known silkie hen


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## piglett

amandahalterman said:


> It's in with a roo, they don't do anything, there is no fighting, there is no breeding, it don't crow, and don't lay eggs, and it don't breed with hens, but it will sit on my hens eggs


how old is "it"
some silkies will not lay an egg till they are 30 weeks old
the roo may not try to breed her because she is not ready yet


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## fuzziebutt

Well, that feller is a feller. The one outside the pen? He's a he. Handsome feller, too!!


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## amandahalterman

piglett said:


> how old is "it"
> some silkies will not lay an egg till they are 30 weeks old
> the roo may not try to breed her because she is not ready yet


They are about 12 mths old, the one in the cage is defiantly a hen she's been laying for months, they came from the same clutch, so they are the same age


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## Energyvet

My dominant hen challenged my cockerel when I first introduced him to the flock. Same posture. Not sure you can really tell much from that. If its sitting on eggs, I've not seen a Roo do that. I tell you, silkies are aliens!


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## TheGarryFarm

Some of our gals are here:
http://www.chickenforum.com/photo/albums/silkies-at-the-garry-farm-67.html

Love our silkies and sell hatching eggs basically year round (whenever we are not hatching them).....Occasionally sell hens and usually have roosters available! Silkies are so loving and loveable!


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## piglett

TheGarryFarm said:


> Some of our gals are here:
> http://www.chickenforum.com/photo/albums/silkies-at-the-garry-farm-67.html
> 
> Love our silkies and sell hatching eggs basically year round (whenever we are not hatching them).....Occasionally sell hens and usually have roosters available! Silkies are so loving and loveable!


 great pics ))


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## LICHICK28

muranofarms said:


> Because they look like this! The silkies are my babies, they are just sweet little balls of puff...and the best mommy's ever!


 Nice looking splash. I strive to get the best quality out of my silkie breeding projects.


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## Energyvet

It's funny you say how friendly they are. My Roo is the only chicken I've ever had that will bite me. He's a willful little bugger.


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## piglett

Energyvet said:


> It's funny you say how friendly they are. My Roo is the only chicken I've ever had that will bite me. He's a willful little bugger.


 really? well the silkie roo (George) that i got from Kaufranc is the only bird that i can just walk up to & pick up. thanks Kaufranc


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## Energyvet

He's still a fine Roo. He's low man around here. And even the bites don't hurt at all. But he'll go for me where even my Dominant Napoleon will not.


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## LICHICK28

Silkies are like chips, you can't just have one!


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## amandahalterman

LICHICK28 said:


> Nice looking splash. I strive to get the best quality out of my silkie breeding projects.


They are so cute! Is that a special breed of silkie that has its eyes covered like that? Mine don't have that


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## amandahalterman

piglett said:


> really? well the silkie roo (George) that i got from Kaufranc is the only bird that i can just walk up to & pick up. thanks Kaufranc


My 20 mth old daughter can go up to any of my silkies and pick them up


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## amandahalterman

LICHICK28 said:


> Silkies are like chips, you can't just have one!


Love them!.....


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## kaufranc

Piglett, I am so glad you like George! I moved the 4 Silkies out of the basement and into the steel cage. They are loving the sun and the bigger area! They are getting along really well now.









Edith and Louise sun bathing together!


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## realsis

Ooooh I love silkies! Here are mine. 2partridge females at 1month old. (DNA testing on the little ones) and my blue she is almost 3 months. I'm praying she is a she  I love my silkies!


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## Diana

Mine will be able to get out in the sunshine today. Maybe I will get a good picture of them. The vary quite a bit in age, but being Silkies, they all get along nicely.


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## piglett

kaufranc said:


> Piglett, I am so glad you like George! I moved the 4 Silkies out of the basement and into the steel cage. They are loving the sun and the bigger area! They are getting along really well now.
> 
> View attachment 4151
> 
> 
> Edith and Louise sun bathing together!


i put George in with my 2 adult silkie hens (he likes that)
all 3 are in an enclosed pen (ablot 6' square) which is inside the main coop 
even though there is heavy plastic mesh between George & my big buff orpington the 2 knot heads thought it would be fun to have a little fight.
you know how boys can be. neither 1 got banged up too bad but George got his face too close & got bitten. he is fine, maybe they will play nice from now on??? i think i'll put a wide board up so they can't see each other anymore.

after looking over my young silkies i am sure that atleast 2 are pullets so i'll add those too so George can have some extra company.
not sure about the rest of the youngsters, 1 is a maybe 4 look to be roos


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## LICHICK28

amandahalterman said:


> They are so cute! Is that a special breed of silkie that has its eyes covered like that? Mine don't have that


My first silkies years ago came from a catalog & I expected show quality. I was so disappointed because I thought all silkies are the same. Silkies of better quality have that big top knot (crest) It took a long time to get this quality & I'm still learning.


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## realsis

Yes for show quality look for a breeder who advertises conformity correct show quality silkies. You will pay a lot more but they will be the conformity correct silkie with all the silkie traits that your looking for. I just recently got three silkies from Amber waves. They have some really nice silkies if you want to take a look. They are very nice, helpful, people and answer any question you might have. They also do DNA testing on the chicks for around 20 dollars. Or you can get a hen guarantee. They replace the chicken if it turns up male . They offer lifetime support for their buyers. They ship so nicely with a heat source and some fresh fruit with a little hay. It is a very nice place. If you like to look into it. Hope this helps.


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## kaufranc

Piglett , that's George for ya! Gotta live hom! He is very persistent. Only 2 girls so far? Hope you get more girls.


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## piglett

kaufranc said:


> Piglett , that's George for ya! Gotta live hom! He is very persistent. Only 2 girls so far? Hope you get more girls.


i have atleast 2 more maybe 3 in the woodshed pen
they will be off grower in 2 more weeks so they can then join George & company.


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## kaufranc

You will have to post of pics of the little buggers!


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## realsis

Yes please post pics!!


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## TheGarryFarm

http://www.chickenforum.com/photo/albums/silkies-at-the-garry-farm-67.html for more reasons
Hubby loves them. I can manage them even in my tired days. They cheer me up. They are cute and they still lay eggs.
There are just some of my reasons!


















They make great mothers! Oh and for a hundred other reasons.... (Not quite the count of our flocks but I'm trying....


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## kaufranc

TheGarryFarm said:


> http://www.chickenforum.com/photo/albums/silkies-at-the-garry-farm-67.html for more reasons
> Hubby loves them. I can manage them even in my tired days. They cheer me up. They are cute and they still lay eggs.
> There are just some of my reasons!
> 
> They make great mothers! Oh and for a hundred other reasons.... (Not quite the count of our flocks but I'm trying....


Do you shape the hair dos on the white one or is that how it grows? I have trimmed the hair on my pullet only because she was having a hard time seeing. Her haircut don't look like that though! She would hate me if she could see her own do!


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## piglett

well here are some pics of my little silkie flock
1st up is my broody girl, in about another week she sould have peeps hatching out up under her 









next is her sister









this is 1 side of the pen where George & his ladies stay









now this is 1 of my 4 youngerster boys, he & his brothers are 16 weeks old









here is 1 of Georges new girls









& here is the 2nd one









& here is his last new girl









here is George, happy as can be, did the wild thing with 2 of his new girls as soon as they arrived in his pen
no flowers, no candy, nope lets just get rite to it, i guess that's how he rolls


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## realsis

Ha ha! How cute ! Very beautiful! I just love silkies! The are really pretty!! How many do you have? I have three. Buying my next one on Friday! . I'll have a small flock of four. They really are sweet birds!


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## kaufranc

Great pics Piglett! The Silkies look good! George is one lucky stud-muffin!


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## piglett

realsis said:


> Ha ha! How cute ! Very beautiful! I just love silkies! The are really pretty!! How many do you have? I have three. Buying my next one on Friday! . I'll have a small flock of four. They really are sweet birds!


 we have George plus 5 females
2 are of laying age.


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## piglett

kaufranc said:


> Great pics Piglett! The Silkies look good! George is one lucky stud-muffin!


 so far i havn't heard him say a single bad word about his setup


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