Checking on My Silkie Chicks
The youngest residents at my farm are thriving.
Not long ago, I shared photos of my 11 baby Silkie chickens. Since then, the young flock has grown. All of them were incubated and hatched right here at my farm. They’re now about a month old and doing excellently - alert, healthy, and very curious. They will remain indoors until they are old enough to join the others in the chicken coops.
Enjoy these photos.
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- These babies are so alert. In January, I attended the 2022 Northeastern Poultry Congress – a poultry show held every year in Springfield, Massachusetts. The event features more than 2500 birds, including large fowl, waterfowl, turkeys, pigeons, Guineas, and of course, a variety of wonderful breed chickens. While there, I purchased a group of chickens and some eggs. 11 healthy chicks hatched – all in special incubators set up in my Stable feed room.
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- As soon as the chicks are able to walk, they’re up and about and playing and interacting with each other. They also peck at each other playfully. There are eight Silkie color varieties accepted by the American Poultry Association. They include black, blue, buff, gray, partridge, splash, and white.
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- Here is one of the gray Silkie chicks – notice, Silkies have black eyes.
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- Silkies also have black skin, along with black muscles and bones, and dark beaks, combs, and wattles.
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- And, Silkies have extra toes, a genetic condition called polydactylly. Most chickens normally have four toes – a few breeds have five, Silkies among them.
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- If you’re unfamiliar with Silkies, they were originally bred in China. Silkie chickens are known for their characteristically fluffy plumage said to feel silk- or satin-like to the touch.
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- Silkies grow a bit slower than other chicken breeds and shouldn’t be outside until they have all their feathers and have lost all their fuzz.
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- These chicks are great eaters, and seem to get bigger and more curious every day.
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- It is always nice to see such a strong and energetic group of babies.
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- Because the Silkie’s feathers lack functioning barbicels, similar to down on other birds, they are unable to fly.
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- Here in the Stable feed room, they are checked several times a day. This room is also free from drafts. Chicks require an air temperature of 95 degrees during the first week, 90 degrees the second week, and so on – going down by around five degrees per week until they’re ready to transition to the coop.
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- Here’s one at the feeding station. Starter feed is a protein dense variety of chicken feed designed to meet a chick’s dietary requirements. Chicks remain on starter feed for at least the first six weeks and then progress to grower feed.
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- All my chicks get a balanced diet of medicated chick crumb with some treats and fresh greens from my gardens.
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- Silkies are adaptable, playful, and friendly. And, they are naturally more calm than most other breeds.
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- I wonder what their conversations are like. In general, chickens are quite vocal. They make around 30 different calls to communicate with each other, expressing everything from “I am hungry” to “there’s a predator nearby.”
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- At this stage, these Silkies are already greeting visitors that enter the room – I am looking forward to seeing them mature with the rest of my flock.
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- Remember these adolescent Silkies I brought home from the same show? These four are doing very well. We put a basket in the pen for the hens. Hopefully, they will start to lay some eggs soon.
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- Here, one can see their grayish-blue beaks, which are short and quite broad at the base.
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- Silkie hens or pullets generally mature around eight to 10 months and cockerels about 10 to 12 months. They hit their full size around four or five months and get their first real adult set of feathers about this time as well.
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- Silkies are relatively long lived for chickens with an average life expectancy of around eight or nine years and they remain productive long after other breeds have stopped laying eggs. This is most likely due to their laid back happy nature and low productivity rates. I am sure they will be very happy here at Cantitoe Corners.
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