Skinny Silkies

LACHIE · **Joined:** Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:21 pm **Posts:** 4

I have a 2 silkie hens and today I had to pick them up to move them to their new coop and to my shock they didn't weigh much, they are both so light to pick up. I have been feeding them the same as the lohman hens and they are all fat so what could be wrong with the silkies? Do you think they don't like the lohman hens?

Roova · **Posted:** Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:40 pm

Two things which come to mind. One is how large are the poms on the silkies? Does it need to be trimmed back so they can see food and water properly.

The second thing is Lohman's are potentially much larger and bossier than your silkies. In a perfect world you probably wouldn't really keep them together.

Up until now, when you've observed them all together, does it seem the Silkies are being bossed by the Lohmans? Are they confidently moving around the pen scratching away as you would expect or huddled together in one spot?

In the meanwhile I would either put multiple food and water containers around, or keep your silkies separate. If you did separate them to try and get their weight back up, be very careful reintroducing them as they may be really picked on by the Lohmans when the pecking order is restablished.

Good luck with your girls....

LACHIE · **Joined:** Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:21 pm **Posts:** 4

They do have big pom poms so maybe I should trim them because I can't see their eyes. The silkies keep away from the lohman hens and I haven’t seen them picking on them sometimes the silkies are bossy. I will also try to have two feeders and see how they go. Should I give them hard boiled eggs?

Thank you

wickedwings · **Posted:** Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:17 am

Is that common, having to trim the Pom Pom? I just picked up a couple of silkies on Saturday for the kids and I'm struggling to see the eyes on the chicken, it's got me tossed how they could see back out the other way.

Roova · **Posted:** Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:29 am

Some breeders breed for extreme poms which might look nice to them but probably isn't so nice for the bird.

Unless you plan on showing your silkies, you could definitely trim the pom back or try and pull it back with a child's hair tie. I've tried those in the past and they do tend to slip off quite easily though.

Its amazing how much more confident they become, and how much more they move around, when they can actually see whats around them!

wickedwings · **Posted:** Mon Jan 31, 2011 7:14 am

I thought I might trim it to a mohawk; might make them look a bit tougher to the other chooks. :lol:

LACHIE · **Joined:** Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:21 pm **Posts:** 4

I like that wickedwings I can just imagine that

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