Silkies

stephen · Post by **stephen** » 27 Sep 2005, 20:39

Thread for Silkies

Alasia · Post by **Alasia** » 16 Oct 2005, 12:55

Silkies are an endearing breed, popular with families because of their reputation as docile, easy going birds, and their fluffy 'fur like' feathers.
Silkies are fairly quiet compared to other breeds, can be kept in a relatively small space (although they prefer to free range) and are fairly easy going. However, they don't lay very well - usually laying 14 or 15 medium-sized, pinkish-cream eggs before going broody. Silkies usually make great broodies and mothers, and come in a few colours including blue, gold, cuckoo, partridge, white and black. They also come in both large fowl and miniature varieties.

A young Blue Silkie pullet:

aliceb · Post by **aliceb** » 09 Nov 2005, 15:45

I've got 4 silkie girlies; 2 bantams (a gold and a partridge), and 2 white full size ones (if you can really call them full size!). The bantam ones are beautiful, they struggle to see where they are going due to the size of their top knot. The white full size are gorgeous as well but they are noisey little buggers!! they don't seem to cluck like all of the others do they shriek and cackle like a pair of deranged ducks. still love them to bits though!!

silkielou · Post by **silkielou** » 19 Jan 2006, 13:02

lots of silkies here! have 6 colours (white, black, blue, gold, cuckoo, splash) Silkies have always been my favourite breed of chicken they're so friendly and adorable.

We prob have about 150 silkies and thats after cutting down!

Louise

lots of silkies on our website if you want to take a look?

~elizabeth~ · Post by **~elizabeth~** » 15 Nov 2007, 18:31

I've kept silkies for a number of years now. My favourite colour has to be Gold, although I've ended up having mainly blues.

One thing I'd say if you're considering keeping them is beware of Marek's disease. I lost all my original birds to this horrible disease after buying in a trio of nice birds from a top exhibitor. I only hatch them in an incubator and vaccinate them at a couple of days, and raise them in isolation for as long as possible.

I've found they are very sensitive to the antibiotics licensed for use in poultry, and have lost several to heart failure due to AB intolerance.

kated · Post by **kated** » 15 Nov 2007, 20:22

Elizabeth, I have golden silkies - what's AB intolerance please? Is it antibiotics? I have some Baycox (??) on hand in the top of the fridge in case of coccidiosis. (I lost 4 to this 2 years ago and never want to see them suffer like that again) You have worried me now!

~elizabeth~ · Post by **~elizabeth~** » 15 Nov 2007, 20:32

kated wrote:I have some Baycox (??) on hand in the top of the fridge in case of coccidiosis.

Sorry, yes Antibiotics. I'd be careful if Baycox is a similar class of antibiotic to Baytril (enrofloxacin), which is the only one my vet would give me and which caused the problem. I asked Sue Bowser of the Silkie Club about it at the time, having lost 2 birds to, this was her reply to me:

"I would not use Baytril for that [bumblefoot/toe infections]. Never use Baytril stronger than 2.5% in any event. My vet gives me one of the many 'Mycin' brands at 5% they are good on ear infections and would easily do a foot without harm."

kated · Post by **kated** » 15 Nov 2007, 20:38

Thanks for that Elizabeth, but would Mycin be any help for coccidiosis? I got the Baycox from a vet that only treats poultry - you would think they knew about Baycox's side effects. But then again......

~elizabeth~ · Post by **~elizabeth~** » 16 Nov 2007, 12:31

kated wrote:Thanks for that Elizabeth, but would Mycin be any help for coccidiosis? I got the Baycox from a vet that only treats poultry - you would think they knew about Baycox's side effects. But then again......

Sorry, never had a problem with coccidiosis so I couldn't say. I think it's probably only Silkie's that have a problem with it, as I've given various kinds of AB to other hens in the past without a problem.

I'm very impressed you've found a vet that only treats poultry though; most disappear to consult a textbook every time you visit with a bird

I'd be interested to know if they feel Baycox is ok with silkies and at what dose.

kated · Post by **kated** » 16 Nov 2007, 15:50

Elizabeth - I guess it's because Norfolk is a hugely important poultry area that there is a poultry specialist here. I think there are more here than in any other county in the UK (poultry I mean not vets!). The vet is, I am sure, more accustomed to treating commercial birds than Silkies and I know from her comments on seeing my Silkies, that they were just another chicken to her so contra indications per breed would not be within her remit.

Btw the instructions on the bottle say 1ml per one and a half kilo body weight daily in water.

jenny · Post by **jenny** » 21 Nov 2007, 21:18

kated - who's the poultry vet??

Magpie · Post by **Magpie** » 21 Nov 2007, 23:11

Sorry for jumping in but I would assume Crowshall Veterinary Services, Attleborough - 01953 455454. They have come up before on here somewhere, I use them as well - very good service and not too expensive.

Tim

jenny · Post by **jenny** » 21 Nov 2007, 23:42

Ok thanks - I usually use The Grove practices for my birds/hens as they're supposed to have a bird specialist but he's hard to catch sometimes, and emergencies don't always happen on the same one or two days a week! I'll add that number to my birdbook

kated · Post by **kated** » 22 Nov 2007, 15:37

Yep, that's right Magpie. I've never taken a sick bird to them though - only gone for preventative medicine. I suppose £25 to look cursorily at 7 silkie chicks in a box and give me a very small bottle of baycox can't be considered extortionate but I don't call it cheap either.

jenny · Post by **jenny** » 22 Nov 2007, 16:54

The Grove aren't any cheaper I can tell you!!

Here's a pic of the little white silkie I collected yesterday afternoon - she's lovely and really likes climbing around the perches in the aviary/chicken run, and has been in the aviary birds food trays twice so far - and they're about 4ft off the ground!!