Single hen

[BethBubbles]

Just discovered silkie hens! They look so cool! Anyone know of a breeder who does these near London?

 

B

[hpops]

I know of two breeders in Essex - Ongar & Basildon - any good??

[buffie]

They are lovely and very docile. It's not easy to have Silkies with hybrids and some more 'bossy' hens as the Silkies are so docile, so just thought I'd mention this as I had been tempted recently. They also need to be kept dry due to feathers like fur

 

Buffie x

[BethBubbles]

Basildon would be perfect as I live in east London! Do you know if they have a website.

 

I think I will have to research it in more detail as I too have been reading up and also heard they can get bullied. Would be good to get the advice of a breeder too. They are supposed to be quite robust though. Will get more info before I jump in!

 

[beach chick]

I have 2 silkie girls and 1 silkie boy, living with 1 hybrid Bluebell, a leghorn, a maran and 2 Sussexes. no sign of them being bullied at all.

they also seem to have no problem with getting wet!! they look terribly bedraggled in the rain, but they seem to dry off just as well as the others. they do have somewhere to go out of the rain, but generally they dont bother...

[MedusA]

I have 2 Silkies amongst my flock. They are gorgeous and very friendly hens. I do keep them in a covered run, to keep them as dry as possible, but they do come out and forage sometimes and get damp mullets. Soon dries out again. I hadn't realised there might be problems with my other girls bullying them. Fortunately for me and them, they mix with my hybrids perfectly OK.

 

Good luck with the search for a local breeder.

[bigmommasally]

I've only had my hens for 10 days but my little Silkie (Mary) bullies my Orpington who is huge in comparison! This morning she jumped up onto Alice's (the Orpington) head to peck her. I'm also finding Mary the hardest of the 5 hens to hold and cuddle, maybe my Silkie is different to the norm.

[MedusA]

Sorry, but I find the image of a little bundle of Silkie jumping up to peck an Orpington a really comical image. She must have delusions of grandeur.

 

As I also have a gorgeous bunny, can I just mention how much I love your avatar, Sally?

[bigmommasally]

Ahhh thanks Lin.

[beach chick]

on the subject of delusions of grandeur, our cockerel Apricot has a pash on Crunchie the white sussex. unfortunately, he often cant quite reach, so waits til she's sitting down to get on board - or jumps on her head while she's eating!!! bless him, she just flicks him off with a tolerant bok.