debbie26pet Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 ive just been messing around looking more into the birds i got etc, and found it sayd that silkis mine is the bantam oni think so hubby dotn any way of telling?, dont lay during the summer only really during aut, winter, how do others find there bantams, she is about 19 weeks old and is a right little madam thinks she is in with the big crowds this is her she would be about 15-16 weeks in this pic http://s244.photobucket.com/albums/gg22/debbie26pet_bucket/?action=view¤t=Picture397.jpg and with my others rhode is about 18-19 weeks in this pic http://s244.photobucket.com/albums/gg22/debbie26pet_bucket/?action=view¤t=Picture407.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 I'm probably wrong but I think bantams are miniature breeds of chickens, a bit like ponies are small breeds of horse. As far as I know, Silkies are bantams. The fact they don't lay in the winter is because they are pure breeds, not because they are bantams Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 A bantam is basically just a miniature chicken, full stop. Whether they lay only in summer or all year round depends on their breed more than their size - cross-breeds lay all year round, whereas pure breeds tend to take a break in winter (but don't tell my wyandotte bantam that - she lays pretty much all year round except when broody or moulting!). Cross-breeds are more common amongst full-sized hens, as there's no commercial demand for bantams, hence the majority of bantams are pure breeds. Your silkie does look a lot smaller than the RIR, even taking the age difference into account. Here are my two wyandottes, who were clearly several weeks difference in age, since one was smaller and hadn't come into her full colouring: http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=24655 As you can see, they are both very small! Give her another couple of months, and if she's still small, you've definitely got a bantam on your hands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 They are lovely Eyren. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Sadly Cicely (at the back) is no more - a victim of the horrendously hot summer the year before last. Angelica on the other hand is still going strong and as much a bolshy little madam as ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Oh...sorry to hear that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 As far as I'm aware Silkies are bantams and will not grow to the same size as standard hens. Yours is exactly like our Kylie and she started laying just before Christmas. She's not very regular but every few days we get a lovely little pure white egg. We sell our surplus eggs and everyone wants the bantam eggs as they are so tasty (and not much smaller than a standard hen egg I was veyr surprised to find) Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 There are two sizes of silkie - bantam (or miniature) and large fowl. I tried finding standard weights for the full grown bird of each but couldn't find them. I have seen pics of miniature silkies bred to be very tiny. Hard to tell from her pics - she almost looks inbetween! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bondinho Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Silkies are a strange bird - you get totally different variations in size of the large fowl birds. I've got two currently - both large fowl - and yet my gold silkie looks much bigger than my black one. But miniature silkies tend to be tiny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...