balti Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Hi, Just about to purchase 3 silkies and I'm concerned about having to keep them dry, they must not get wet ....... and special water and feeders for them as must not get their heads wet!. Im a little concerned, I have 3 other chickens in another eglu who pretty much look after themselves, in and out during the day. Does anyone out there keep silkies in an eglu and would recommend an eglu for them? Also what happens if they are out roaming and get caught in the rain ??? I know it sounds stupid just don't want to get them and not being able to provide what they need, Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I keep 2 silkies in an Eglu, and they are fine. I use a drinker like this one and they are fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Oh thanks for that. I use on of those in my other eglu as well! - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Hi I have silkies in a cube and they have the same drinker as Egluntyne plus a trough drinker in the garden. The cube run is covered to keep it dry but they free range all day and do get wet occasionally, if it rains really hard they will take cover but often still potter about in light rain. If they get too wet I sometimes give them a rub over with some paper towel. They like to drink from the run bars as well so do get their heads wet, they look like little punk rockers! I bet you are really excited, do you know what colours you are getting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Thats good news, Im getting a blue, black and gold. Am quite excited - just hope i can free range them in time with my other 3 'common' chicks. One of them is a bantam cock, so that will be interesting. Do you have any trouble with yours getting wet feet? I read something about they need to be dry or are they just referring to try keeping the whole chicken as dry as possible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 The issue is that the funny feathers of the Silkie do not repell water but soak it up. This is the case wherever the fluff is - whether it be on their bodies, their feet or their heads. However it is their heads in winter that you need to take a little more care of as it would not be nice to send them to bed with wet 'hair' in the cold. I find, like mollyripkim that if you gently squeeze the tufts on their heads with a paper kitchen towel (and do the same to their tails too) this will remove a lot of the wet when they do decide to stay out in the rain. I also pat their backs with kitchen towel. Occasionally, when it is freezing weather in winter and they have got into a punk state, I do sit them on my lap in the kitchen and blow dry their 'hair' with my hair drier. They seem to rather enjoy this. Their feet do have feathers on them but this is nothing like the foot feathering of some breeds such as Pekins and so do not get all that muddy, I find. (By the way, my silkies use a normal Glug with no problems at all.) P.S. Can I place a bet that a white silkie and a partridge one will follow on soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I have had 2 large fowl Silkies since January and they live in an eglu with an omlet cover They use a glug for water with no problems. If it is very rainy I use kitchen towel on their heads but have never touched their feet. They don't seem to get too wet as they find shelter if it is pouring down. Mine free range all day with my 2 'common' chicks and they are aware that they are bottom of the pecking order They try to avoid my original girls and although I have tried to get them to roost together at night it has ended in a flurry of feathers and a lot of squawking. They may eventually get along but I am happy that they can free range reasonably happily. I would not worry too much about them getting wet, it hasn't been a big issue with ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Thanks to everyone for their input, its made me feel a lot better... And i did have to laugh, about the white and partridge one to follow..... do you think i can get 4 silkies in a 'Go' eglu? or is that pushing it? Also whats the difference between a partridge silkie and the other colours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 About fitting 4 Silkies in an Eglu, though I don't have one, I think it would depend on whether you have banty silkies or standard ones. My girls are really in-betweenies, but I would imagine that the real standards would probably be too big for 4 to fit in an Eglu. Redwing, on the other hand, has some true bantam ones and they are tiny girls. I would imagine you could fit 4 of those in but others may know better. Here is a picture of a partridge Silkie I used to have, to show you what they look like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Thanks for the picture... very cute! I think to be on the safe side i best stick with 3, even though i want 4..... i have read that silkies can range in size a bit. Thanks again'!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeky Chooky Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I've got 3 Silkie in-betweenies in a and there's lots of room. Only one of mine (Emmy) gets her head wet when it rains (the other 2 steer well clear ) and I also dry her head with kitchen towel at bedtime They use the Grubs and Glugs with no problem at all Enjoy them when you get them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I have silkies, pekins and a frizzle in with my big girls all in with a WIR the Silkies are just as tough as the big girls and very fiesty when broody when FR they don't seem to mind a shower and will happily pootle about wet or not they don't know they are supposed to be dainty and high maintenance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 thanks again - ordered 3. Im hoping if i have enough room in a month or 2 i may blind fold them and sneak a white one in...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Don't forget, we'll all need to see pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I had 4 big girls in an Eglu, plenty of room if its just for laying and sleeping as they all squash up at night. I do have a large WIR though, so 4 tiny ones should be fine as long as you have the space to free range or a large run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 Damn.... I have only ordered 3. Oh well, one can always add Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Hmm . . . as one does . . . By the way, where are you getting your Silkies from? Just wondered as you live very near to where my mother lives and also to where one or two others on here live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uma Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I don't have silkies but I did have 3 LF Orpingtons in a normal eglu.... Was just for introductions however they chose to stay in it even when they had access to the cube until we removed it. So there is lots of space!! Uma x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 I'm getting them from perfect poultry. I can't get them down here at all. Is that why you asked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Yes I was wondering if there was anywhere near you that provided silkies because I know that so far "Ooops, word censored!"ody has been able to find some by you and I hoped you might have a secret source Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balti Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 I guess thats what you were getting at.... No, i have been hunting for a while - haven't got the birds yet but will be in touch with perfect poultry tomorrow.... I dont understand why "Ooops, word censored!"ody down here breeds them? strange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 My two silkie boys are in the cube, but use to be in the eglu. Both have ridgid plastic covers on the runs to keep them dry, but that doesn't stop them going out in the garden in the rain. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Basehunter, my white silkie girl lives in an eglu & is always the one out drenched in the rain! They have good cover from the rain & can run into their eglu, but no - she chooses to stay out playing in her wellies. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becky Brown Posted October 3, 2023 Share Posted October 3, 2023 I'm planning to get silkie bantams this spring. I have two questions. 1. Capacity? How many silkie bantams do you keep in a Go or how many do you keep in a Cube. 2. Up or not to Up? I understand that silkie bantams can't fly and they are quite small. Can they make it up the ramp/ladder into the coop of an Go Up or Cube? Or is it best to just stick to the Go? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 On 10/4/2023 at 12:50 AM, Becky Brown said: I'm planning to get silkie bantams this spring. I have two questions. 1. Capacity? How many silkie bantams do you keep in a Go or how many do you keep in a Cube. 2. Up or not to Up? I understand that silkie bantams can't fly and they are quite small. Can they make it up the ramp/ladder into the coop of an Go Up or Cube? Or is it best to just stick to the Go? Thank you! 1) the coop isn’t so much the thing to determine the number of chickens, the run size is a much more important factor. A good measure is to have about 1 m2 of run per chicken. Realise that you need to keep the run relatively dry as silkies aren’t waterproof. 2) If you give them some extra hop on options, silkies will manage the ladder pretty well. Personally I would go for an Up options as it also increases your run size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
