It does help if you brush through their feathers once a week or so. Not so much to keep them looking in tip-top shape, it also helps you keep an eye out for lice, mites, and the general condition of their feathers. Just like any other chickens, they need to be locked up securely overnight in the coop and appreciate being given a decent amount of room to roam around in the day.
The first thing to be aware of is soggy feet and leg feathers. Obviously, this applies to Silkies that have a lot of fur on their feet and legs, as some have more than others. Frostbite can also be a problem during the winter months. As is frostbite on their legs or feet due to having cold and damp legs and feet due to soggy feathers. The initial investment depends mainly on where you get the Silkies from and how far their pedigree can be certified.
There are a bunch of look-alike varieties, so be especially careful with these. Read this if you want to learn how to tame a Silkie. Silkies, scientifically known as Gallus gallus domesticus, and occasionally referred to as La Soyeuse Poulet, are a unique breed of chicken. These birds appeared in the writings of Marco Polo among his accounts of what he saw in Asia.
The origins of the Silkies are thus attributed to China, India, and Java. Their feathers are extremely fine and fluffy that they look like fur. Pretty much everything about Silkies is unique. From the way they look to the way they behave.
Their ancestry is also quite interesting, considering they have plenty of evolutionary features in common with dinosaurs! According to their breed, you could find pristine white, deep black, grey, buff, or warm brown Silkies. The color of the skin underneath is invariably a dark shade of greyish blue.
Silkies are subdivided into bearded and non-bearded varieties. The bearded ones have an extra bit of fur under their beaks, which extends sideways to their earlobes. Speaking of which, they do have earlobes, turquoise-blue ones!
Another interesting feature of Silkies is their toes. While regular chickens have four toes in their feet, Silkies walk around with five toes. The temperament of Silkies is also noteworthy. These fellows are easygoing and have a bright disposition.
Some labs offer a discount if you send a number of samples, for example, more than Older silkies, around layer age, are at the peak of their value, and pullets and good quality rooster will be most expensive at this age.
Many people will sell pairs for a better price as a way to get rid of unwanted roos and will even rehome roosters for free. Keep in mind that rooster comes at a price that might not cost you cash. Roosters will crow most silkie roosters may be less loud than other roosters — read more in our article on how noisy silkies are for tips to keep your silkies quiet.
In addition to this, keep in mind that keeping more than one rooster may lead to some flock politics and potentially fighting among the roosters.
The best place to locate reputable breeders will be at your local fair. Most silkie owners will love being complimented on the quality of their birds so make use of that opportunity to make contact with someone who will probably have good quality birds for sale. Many backyard poultry owners, especially in the US report mostly positive experiences ordering anything from eggs to live birds on eBay.
The trick is to order from suppliers who are located no more than miles away. There is a multitude of large hatcheries all over.
Not all hatcheries will sell silkies though. Hatcheries will be able to ship eggs that you can incubate at home. Some hatcheries also sell day-old chicks. There are many local poultry associations, livestock markets, or stockyards that have regular auctions. Feed stores and co-ops or a search on Google or Facebook should point you in the direction of your local auction. Facebook is a popular place for people to, for example, advertise roosters, who need a new home.
You might also be able to make contact with people who breed good quality silkies. Look out for brag posts on the silkie-related group. Forums such as Back Yard Chickens are a great place to find all kinds of poultry and to connect with other people who might have silkies for sale. You can search according to your area code to find people in your area as well. Before placing that order, have a look at the checklist below.
There is a lot more that needs to be considered when ordering livestock than you might think at first! Remember that if you are looking to sell off your silkie chicks or eggs, they will sell much easier if you have good quality parent stock.
Ideally, this should be evaluated at months. Eggs from champion birds can still yield mediocre silkies. Even if you pair two champion birds, not all of the offspring will be of competitive quality. The best guess to the quality of chickens you are buying, will be whether the parents comply with breed standard.
Use this handy table as a guideline on what all things silkie-related might cost. Feel free to print it out and to fill in your specific quantities. I truly hope this guide makes planning and buying everything silkie-related just a tad easier. If you are able to plan to provide your silkies with a good environment, the nutrition and care that they need, as well as how to look out for good quality silkies, they will be able to provide you with many years of happy silkie-ownership!
Annerien de Villiers graduated as a veterinarian from the University of Pretoria in She has since worked full-time in clinical practice tending to all kinds of companion animals in general practice. Serving the human-animal bond with care and compassion and making accurate information accessible to pet owners is at the heart of her driving force as a veterinarian. A pet rat is considered to be a senior from the age of months.
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