One of our gorgeous chicks, notice the pom pom and feathering even at four days old.
How to care for your silkie chick
Temperature
The young chick will require heat when the temperature is below 25 degrees. During the warmer months, keeping them in an enclosed cage away from predators and older chickens on the lawn, in the sun, is a great way for them to grow and have access to healthy fresh air, grass and natural warmth. Although, in the evenings they will need to be brought inside and put under heat. People use a variety of methods, such as reading lamps, etc. You will know if your chick's temperature is not correct. If they repeatedly chirp, it means they are cold. However, to ensure they are not over heating, make sure they are not cuddled up to the corner, trying to avoid the heat. To avoid this, keep them in an area (fish tanks are good) where their is enough room to escape the heat if it is too hot. Just observe your chick's behaviour, and you will soon learn what its needs are. They should be fairly active and eating lots. However, when they are in their first week of life, they often doze off to sleep, don't mistake this for sickness.
Food
Chicks will live on chick starter for the first six weeks. You can buy this from most produce shops. However, try to get the finer crumble, as silkies are smaller than the regular chick. Fresh water should be available at all times. Giving the chicks bread, soaked in milk as a treat, is a good way to keep them healthy and some poultry breeders believe it is a way to prevent the bird getting cocidious, when they are older. Ensure there is fresh water available at all times.
Extra info
Regularly check your chick, especially their little bottoms. At times blockages occur and a build up of waste is evident. If you see this, gently remove it with water. This happens if you keep your chick on wood shavings, as they sometimes nibble at it and have a clogged system. At times these chicks look fluffed up and slower than the others. Some breeders recommend keeping chicks off wood shavings, due to this reason.
When can I let my silkie chick go into a chicken pen with other older chooks?
I would recommend keeping the silkie away from older chickens until they reach about eight weeks of age. However, observation is the best way to determine this idea. Release your chick into the pen and sit down and watch how well it can defend for itself. At first the other chickens will peck at it, to ensure it knows it is at the bottom of the chicken poplularity profile in your pen. Then wait a while. If it can run away from the others, access food and water without being bullied, then it willl be fine! It will take a while for the chick to be accepted into the cool gang! But it will eventually. I have even had silkie hens rule the roost over large brahmas!
If you have any questions email me and I will be happy to answer them
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