Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[AngBantamLuv]

Had a close call w a Cooper's hawk today! I had to run inside real quick while the chickens were out, and caught a glimpse of a kind of large shadow.

Walked out and there it was with ALL of my chickens directly below it. Of course everyone ran to hide, except my silkie and polkie!! I had to run right up to the hawk before it flew away.

Close call, felt bad for having stepped inside. And unfortunately the yard has now been marked, so no more play time til it finds an easier brunch spot. Love my babies

 

[Hinotori]

Had a close call w a Cooper's hawk today! I had to run inside real quick while the chickens were out, and caught a glimpse of a kind of large shadow.

Walked out and there it was with ALL of my chickens directly below it. Of course everyone ran to hide, except my silkie and polkie!! I had to run right up to the hawk before it flew away.

Close call, felt bad for having stepped inside. And unfortunately the yard has now been marked, so no more play time til it finds an easier brunch spot. Love my babies

Yes. Sometimes mine have to stay under cover for months in winter because of hawks

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Yes. Sometimes mine have to stay under cover for months in winter because of hawks

I've been thinking of having the guy that built my coop and run build out a kind of rooster cover (what are the little houses called that some people have for their roosters? Looks like a little tent), but large enough for the girls to hang in when one or more just want their alone time. Or a chicken tractor, but they don't like anyone else bumping into their feathers!!

 

[Egg Snatcher]

Just hatched out so project showgirls!

 

[AusHen]

Hi all! Silkies were my first chicken as a adult (family kept sex-links growing up). 4 years ago I sold most of them and kept two old girls that have sadly passed, Victoria pictured being our favourite hen ever.
Missing this breed I attempted to hatch out half a dozen eggs recently but only got one to hatch, added some mix breed chicks to keep him company and ended up with one silkie cross, of course both boys. (Pic 2 & 3). Of course that won't do so I have ordered another dozen eggs from a breeder to hopefully hatch some ladies

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

What do ya'll think this little one is? Pullet or Cockerel?

 

[Hinotori]

What do ya'll think this little one is? Pullet or Cockerel?

How old?

 

[MROO]

I have 4 broodies currently, I bought a dozen Double Laced gold barnevelder eggs for them to hatch I haven't had other breeds before but hopefully they'll grow up and all get along. I don't plan to keep Barnie boys.
I'm wondering what a Barnie cross Silkie would be like

If and when you get babies from that bunch ... be sure to post pics as they grow. They'll likely be very pretty birds! Personally, I'd like to see what a barnie/silkie cross rooster would look like - I'll bet those would be gorgeous! (But, no thank you, I do NOT need another rooster to test the theory! )

 

[MROO]

Had a close call w a Cooper's hawk today! I had to run inside real quick while the chickens were out, and caught a glimpse of a kind of large shadow.

Walked out and there it was with ALL of my chickens directly below it. Of course everyone ran to hide, except my silkie and polkie!! I had to run right up to the hawk before it flew away.

Close call, felt bad for having stepped inside. And unfortunately the yard has now been marked, so no more play time til it finds an easier brunch spot. Love my babies

I'm SO glad you caught wind of your potential lunch guest before the appetizers were served. And you're right to figure that your yard is now marked. I had a pullet taken by a red-tail six years ago - 15 feet from where I was standing. We've had visitors eyeing the lunch buffet ever since, so my feather-babies no longer free range at all. So sad!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

I'm SO glad you caught wind of your potential lunch guest before the appetizers were served. And you're right to figure that your yard is now marked. I had a pullet taken by a red-tail six years ago - 15 feet from where I was standing. We've had visitors eyeing the lunch buffet ever since, so my feather-babies no longer free range at all. So sad!

Yes, this is what i am thinking... poor girls finally have a morning routine they enjoy (they line up at the door waiting to go play) but even if i don't see a hawk, i swear i can hear them close by. I let them out for a minute this morning, but i couldn't relax so i sent them back inside. I might get them treats instead, they'd be just as happy!

Interestingly, my neighbor says she saw a Mexican Eagle a couple days ago above our street. Gorgeous bird btw, but that is substantially larger than the Coopers Hawk. Too much "Discovery Channel" for my comfort!