Solitary chicken - need advice

[Mrs_B]

Back on it! Been ages since I have posted here, but I went to put my current three into boarding last week and fell in love with some chickens. I didn't plan on it - I've not been feeling very enthusiastic with the chicken keeping due to the losses last year but I absolutely loved a Hamburgh and also some Silkies just made me get excited all over again.

 

 

 

I have a question - what's the best way to get these breeds to be friendly? I've never been hugely hands-on with my chickens, I do hold them when needed but let them get on with things (I have a pain disorder, so it was easier to be honest) but as I have a son now I want him to grow up with the chooks - any tips would be great! I am worried about how delicate the Silkies wings are, so am nervous about holding them. I appreciate the Hamburgh will be flighty (though she's already jumping on my husband's shoulder!) which is the same as my Columbine, but I would love for the Silkies to be as friendly as possible for Little B in the future.

 

Thanks

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[mollyripkim]

Hi, what lovely new girls, particularly like the silkies, they are beautiful. I have one elderly Silkie left now who is very friendly as are all my girls, all bantams, with the exception of the Orps I can pick all the girls up, they got friendlier when they came into lay and started crouching but I also spent time sitting with them and hand feeding treats. Trouble is they now see us as a food source so sitting outside in the summer with a sandwich is difficult but amusing! Hope you have lots of fun with them.

[Mrs_B]

Thank you I think I might get a chair in their walk-in-run as we don't tend to let them roam in the garden as much until it gets warmer and less muddy.

 

My other girls eat out of my hand but do so cautiously so I would love to be able to pick the Silkies up or for them to not run away ideally.

 

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[Groovychook]

Very pretty girls

I haven't had any experience of Hamburgs but I used to have a few Silkies. They were docile and very friendly. Try and spend as much time with them as possible- a chair in the run sounds like a good idea and a lovely way to while away some time!

I've still got my Silkie boy, Norris. He's the softest, cuddliest cockerel

[sparkysmum]

Ah soooooooooooooo lovely. Not jealous at all Wishing you many happy hours getting to know your new ladies Ax

[Luvachicken]

Very pretty, really like the silkies.

 

You could always get a kiddies bench to put in the run, it's not too big, but big enough to sit an adult on.

Mine have got 2 benches in their run - I got them from Robert Dyas for £ 20.

[Chickabee]

Oh damn it, I want a Hamburgh! Silkies are tougher than you think. They tend not to flap when you pick them up so I wouldn't worry about her wings. They are in my experience easier to catch than the other hens. I suppose it's because they can't fly, but they also don't make loads of fuss like most others do. Enjoy and keep a careful eye out for mites, they seem to especially like these little fluffies

[mullethunter]

LOVE the Hamburg - she's stunning

[Mrs_B]

Thank you

 

They are all settling in nicely and have been going to bed in their eglu on their own after 2 days popping them in (well the Hamburgh took another 2 days as she was trying to be on the highest perch in the WIR but is going in with the others now, she sort of pushes herself in between the Silkies - I'm assuming it's nice and warm!)

 

Having the new chickens has made me wonder about poultry shows! Might be something I look at in the future at SOME point

 

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[GillC]

Beautiful girls I have 7 assorted chooks including two lovely bantam silkies. As you might imagine, they are teeny. My white silkie, LuLu is the friendliest. She has always been like that. When I got her she was caked in mud (I rescued both from a lady who had been hatching eggs bought from the Internet with her children and had over 30 chooks taking over her garden). I had to bath Lulu carefully in warm water and as it was January and cold, I also carefully blow dried her. She was none the worse for this experience and in fact it seemed to make her bond with me so much so that I can hardly move for her trying to climb on my feet and wanting to be picked up. Velvet, the other silkie, by contrast, is quite standoffish. Maybe I should have shampooed her as well, though she wasn't in such a bad state to need it.

 

I'm not suggesting you wash your chickens - this was very much a last resort for me, but they are much more robust than they seem and are quite easy to handle. Handling makes them friendly and confident with you. I sometimes take them out of the nest box of an evening to cuddle as it is easier than catching them.

 

I hope you enjoy your silkies. They are truly fun to keep, and good little layers too.

[Mrs_B]

Thanks, GillC! Ah Bantam Silkies sound so so adorable!

 

I definitely need to be a bit more hands on with the chickens, so maybe going to see them after they've gone to bed will be a good idea

 

I have had to wash my chickens only a couple of times when we have severally wet weather and snow a couple of years ago; they became so muddy all over it was terrible! They didn't mind too much thankfully (or when I had to gently wash off mud from their feet in a bowl) but like you, I wouldn't do it unnecessarily. Thankfully they have a walk in run now which keeps out almost all nasty weather! I was told to keep an eye on the Silkies' feet just in case of any mud gathered under their feet so will keep an extra eye on them.

 

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