Silkies ?

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interlocutor

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Silkies ?
« on: August 05, 2010, 21:45 »
Hi all,

Hope someone can advise us, the other evening my husband 'phoned me from the allotment he had just arrived and noticed 4 little chickens wandering about on their own. Our allotment is at the end of a lane alongside a woodland.

I guess the school holidays someone just thought get rid ! well I won't say what we called these people you can guess.

We managed to catch 3 I'm afraid the other one hid up deep in the under growth we couldn't get to her / him.

Anyway fortunately OH has just finished making a coop and run ready for some new chicks so we popped them in there. The others a very mixed bunch were very suspicious but couldn't get to them so all o.k.

I would like to keep them but we don't know yet if they are hens or cockerels ( we aren't allowed to keep cockerels on the allotment ) they are very tiny look like silkies . Would they get very bullied if I put them in the run with all the others ? and or how long should they be kept apart ?

I thought to keep them in the run for a few weeks then gradually introduce them, would that be best ? also any special needs these little chooks have. Any advice would be so welcome, thanks in advance,

interlocutor
 

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grenhouse

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Re: Silkies ?
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2010, 21:55 »
Hiya,

Your very lucky to find some! Silkies are notoriously difficult to sex, mainly waiting for a crow or an egg! I had silkies at the lottie but they got very wet an muddy, not intelligent enough to put themselves inside when there is a downpour mine weren't!

Because of there fluff I now keep mine at home on bark chips where their feathers/fluff can't get too 'mucked up'.

When introducing them to yours it is best to put them in together at night for a few nights and them introduce them fully. If they are a lot younger then obviously wait while they have grown a bit.
Enjoy your freebies

Steve

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Aunt Sally

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Re: Silkies ?
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2010, 21:57 »
They may have escaped from their owners pen.  Should you not try to find out who the real owner is before becoming attached to them ?

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joyfull

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Re: Silkies ?
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2010, 08:12 »
I do comend you for gathering them up to keep them safe however I agree with Aunt Sally - most of mine free range (all except the sablepoots who get bullied by the bigger girls and also need to be kept out of the way of rain, snow etc) and I would be very angry if people took my birds home in the belief that thy were abandoned. I would either try asking around or putting up a couple of notices about them - but get proof that they are the owners before you let the person who claims to be the owner take them just to be sure.
Staffies are softer than you think.

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interlocutor

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Re: Silkies ?
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2010, 09:17 »
Thankyou all for replying so quickly, of course we have asked all round the allotment and car park if anyone has 'lost' them.

We were told by a dog walker that the previous night there were 6 chickens he stayed for an hour or so but the few people that were around had no knowledge of them.

The place in which they were found is very isolated only the dog walkers and twitchers and of course the allotment holders are about. They could have only got here by car but I am going to ask if I can put a notice up on the gates.

Thanks for the advice at least the foxes won't get the remaining ones.

regards Interlocutor

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joyfull

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Re: Silkies ?
« Reply #5 on: August 06, 2010, 09:55 »
If you are to keep them (lucky you) then I would keep them separate and have a run that is covered just to help keep them dry and protected. They can be quite noisy girls but really are a pleasure to have and when not broody lay lovely little eggs, hopefully you can tempt the other one out of hiding with a little bit of patience and corn. At least you rescued these shame about the others - but you never know they all might turn up  :)

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interlocutor

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Re: Silkies ?
« Reply #6 on: August 06, 2010, 14:35 »
My OH has spent ages looking in the woods and asking the different walkers if they have seen them afraid the foxes have had them poor little things.

Thanks for your reply, have got the others in a covered run but they can see all the other chickens so should get used to each other. They make a funny little noise I think they are very young.

Will let you know how they are getting on, regards Interlocutor

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joyfull

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Re: Silkies ?
« Reply #7 on: August 06, 2010, 15:36 »
Dont forget to post some photo's  :)

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joshbuchan

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Re: Silkies ?
« Reply #8 on: August 06, 2010, 20:17 »
u want to know a good tip on sexing silkies lol, pick em up really badly so they fight and strugle, if they scwark deeply then they r cocks, if they cluck then they are girls, if they cheap/ish then they are still to younge, have they got fat wodales on the top of there heads? if they are fat then they are cocks and were probly abandoned because the breeder did not know what to do with them.

wel anyhow, i hope they are little girls :tongue2: i love my silkies to death :wub: i got 15 hens with 1 cock, what a lucky guy ay! :ohmy:

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joyfull

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Re: Silkies ?
« Reply #9 on: August 06, 2010, 21:35 »
The best way is to wait and see if they lay eggs or crow - no need to frighten the birds they already have had a bad experience.



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