The Chinese Silky Chicks Arrive!

After a lot of searching, emailing and ringing local breeders looking for silky pullets, I finally found a lady up in Marulan with some chicks for sale. I originally didn’t want to get chicks because of the mucking around with heat lamps etc, but since it was the only way to get some silkies for the girls we decided to go for it.

We bought nine chicks, 4 for us and 5 for my mate Danny. Ours have been named Seraphina, Ro, Luciana and Molly (yes, Barbie movies are big in our house!). Turns out they’re not really that much hassle to look after.

First thing Hannah and Sarah wanted to do was draw pictures of the chicks, so they could show their grandparents and friends what they look like.

Sarah with the new chicks. The chicks settling in. Hannah and Sarah drawing chicken pictures.

Rather than give them out to people, Sarah decided to turn her pictures into a book about chickens:

Portrait of a chicken. Chickens like the sunshine. Chickens don\'t like rain. Chickens like to be outside in the sunshine and clear blue sky. Chickens like it when the sun is shining. Another chicken. Another chicken outside. The chickens are very fluffy. The chickens like playing with each other. The chickens are black. When our chickens get bigger they will have chicks of their own. The chickens like flowers in the garden. Chickens again. Photo of the chickens.


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8 responses to “The Chinese Silky Chicks Arrive!”

  1. Cheryl /obeid Avatar
    Cheryl /obeid

    Do you have a contact for the woman in marulan? I live in Goulburn and have been trying to find silkies for my kids.

  2. Darren Avatar

    Cheryl, I’ve emailed you the contact details.

  3. Steve Avatar
    Steve

    Hi I have also purchased 4 silkys for my 2 boys. They love them to death, but I am now a little concerned that I have 3 roosters and 1 hen. I purchased them from a breeder in Sydney for $10 each, 1 week old. They are now 8 weeks old. Does anyone know when you can tell roosters from hens, and how? What should I do if I do have 3 roosters?

  4. Darren Avatar

    Hi Steve. I had suspicions about one of our 4 silkies from about 8 or 10 weeks old. His comb and wattles were developing more than the other 3, and he was quite a bit bigger than them too.

    By about 12 weeks or so he was trying to crow. It was pretty pathetic and sorrowful at first, but he soon hit his stride with a rousing cockadoodle-do! Once they crow there’s no longer any doubt.

    Our council doesn’t allow roosters, so we had to get rid of him. We gave him to a patting zoo – they like silkies because they’re placid and attractive. It was good for the kids to see him going somewhere nice, too. Better than the alternative! 🙂

  5. Darren Avatar

    Oh, forgot to mention. Someone else I know bought two silkies from a local business, and one turned out to be a rooster. The business took him back and replaced him with a pullet of similar age, free of charge.

    Once you confirm they’re roosters, I’d ring your breeder first and ask if they can replace them, or at least take them of your hands and do you a deal on some more pullets.

  6. robyn Avatar
    robyn

    my mum got a adult pair for my son for christmas they are great, first morning at 5.30am the crowing started, to fix the problem we put them in a box at night covered with a sheet and get them up when we wake, it works a treat.

  7. Darren Avatar

    Awesome, I hope he enjoys them as much as we do ours. We tried a few things to stop the crowing, but in the end we only had partial success. Kiama council doesn’t allow roosters in residential areas, so we thought it best to re-home him before he became a problem.

  8. Jodie Avatar
    Jodie

    Could you please pass on the contact details for the lady in Marulan? I am trying without luck to purchase a pair and would appreciate any information from anyone. Thanks.