Learning about backyard chickens in the Bay Area

[Michreev]

Hi everyone,
We're an animal-loving family who for the first time is pet-less and are researching potential new members of our family. I have two young girls and live next door to family who also have two young children, so we're looking for kid-friendly options. We live in San Jose, so we have a yard, but it's not huge, and are only zoned for certain animals. Recently I learned about Silkie Chickens and thought that might be a potentially good fit for our family. So, our questions at the moment are...

1) Does anyone know of a place in the Bay Area where we might go to meet a few Silkies, learn a bit more etc.?

2) If we find Silkies might be a good fit for us, the next question is where to get them. I see a lot of options for buying eggs or chicks online, but also see it's very hard to determine gender of Silkies before a certain age. Our neighborhood is strictly zoned for hens only, so as much as I think roosters are adorable, that isn't an option for us. In addition, we've always been rescue adopters for our other pets, so I'd love to offer homes to a pair of chickens who might be needing them. Suggestions or ideas?

3) We know regular veterinary care is important, how does one go about finding a chicken-knowledgeable vet? We live in the suburbs, so there are vets on nearly every street, but mostly of the dog and cat variety.

4) How realistic is it to have a pair of Silkies in a small, Bay Area backyard? What do we need to consider in terms of noise, space and care?

I realize those are a LOT of questions, I just want to make sure we make an informed decision. They are just SO adorable I can imagine us quickly falling in love, but I want to be sure we're the right home for any chickens we might adopt. Thanks for any and all help!

 

[sylviethecochin]

So far as I know, MyPetChicken is the only hatchery that sells sexed silkies. They will ship a minimum of three, not two, which is ideal, as young chicks can get sick and die pretty quickly, with little warning. (I'm not saying always or often, but it does happen.) Since chickens are flock animals, it is best to have at least three in case one dies.

You could try advertising on Facebook or Craigslist asking local owners if anyone wants rid of any silkies. In my area, I would be promptly inundated with people trying to unload six-year-old layers with "just a few roosters" so you may have to be a very firm, stubborn personality, if you go that route.

Also, if you want friendly chickens, it may be best to raise them from chicks. Chickens aren't naturally hugely friendly, they have to be taught to be so.

Very, very few people on here bother finding a knowledgeable vet. Most people have a first-aid kit for their chickens. I admit to being one of these people; my birds are not pets, they are livestock. You will find a lot of this attitude, but I understand chickens are a rising fashion in your area, so you probably have someone taking advantage of the new market. Or you might look into an vet for parrots and such.

Silkies are pretty good about being confined to a small space. They're not very noisy, either. You'll need a coop with at least four square feet for each chicken. You will need an additional ten square feet of run for each chicken (unless you plan on letting them roam your backyard. Since you have young children, I presume you don't want chicken droppings all over your backyard.)

You'll need a waterer and a feeder, obviously. You can go fancy. I use rubber pans because the bottoms don't crack when they freeze and they're easy to clean.

You'll need a way to get rid of poop. With a small, non walk-in coop, I would use a hoe to just reach in a drag stuff out into a wheelbarrow. That might not work for you.

You'll need a secure place to keep feed.

Dust baths are nice; then help chickens prevent nasty bugs and lice.

I strongly advise an emergency first aid kit.

A broody breaker. You may never need it, but silkies are noted for being a broody breed. It's never *wise to allow them to sit on a nest if they're not hatching eggs; they can and will starve themselves to death.

Additional notes:

Do not trust what a coop manufacturer tells you will fit in a chicken coop. They lie. They base their numbers on a theoretical situation where you are factory-farming small bantams. The chicken in my profile picture is the chicken they use in their predictions; he is six inches tall.

I advise building a coop or having one built rather than buying a pre-fab from TSC or Rural King or whoever else is selling them these days.

When looking for a coop, consider:
Ease of cleaning. My coop is a walk-in shed. No, it's not cute and tiny, but I can get in there with a shovel and pitchfork and that is very important to me.
Security. You live in a place with the normal town wildlife, right? Foxes and raccoons and loose neighbours' dogs with no fear of humans? If I were raising pet chickens with my two young daughters, I would have a Fort Knox in my backyard.
Ventilation. Chickens, even silkies, are pretty cold-hardy. What bothers them is the buildup or moisture and toxic gases from their feces. You want that air to be able to rise up and escape.

 

[Michreev]

Thank you SO much! That was hugely helpful, particularly regarding coop size, as we will need to measure and see if we even realistically could construct something large and secure enough. There are coyotes in our area, and while I have never seen one in our neighborhood I know that doesn't mean they aren't there. Our yard also got hit by raccoons this Fall digging for grubs, so I know they're there as well. I'd been looking at pre-fab coops, but it sounds like those aren't the best solution. Thanks again!

So far as I know, MyPetChicken is the only hatchery that sells sexed silkies. They will ship a minimum of three, not two, which is ideal, as young chicks can get sick and die pretty quickly, with little warning. (I'm not saying always or often, but it does happen.) Since chickens are flock animals, it is best to have at least three in case one dies.

You could try advertising on Facebook or Craigslist asking local owners if anyone wants rid of any silkies. In my area, I would be promptly inundated with people trying to unload six-year-old layers with "just a few roosters" so you may have to be a very firm, stubborn personality, if you go that route.

Also, if you want friendly chickens, it may be best to raise them from chicks. Chickens aren't naturally hugely friendly, they have to be taught to be so.

Very, very few people on here bother finding a knowledgeable vet. Most people have a first-aid kit for their chickens. I admit to being one of these people; my birds are not pets, they are livestock. You will find a lot of this attitude, but I understand chickens are a rising fashion in your area, so you probably have someone taking advantage of the new market. Or you might look into an vet for parrots and such.

Silkies are pretty good about being confined to a small space. They're not very noisy, either. You'll need a coop with at least four square feet for each chicken. You will need an additional ten square feet of run for each chicken (unless you plan on letting them roam your backyard. Since you have young children, I presume you don't want chicken droppings all over your backyard.)

You'll need a waterer and a feeder, obviously. You can go fancy. I use rubber pans because the bottoms don't crack when they freeze and they're easy to clean.

You'll need a way to get rid of poop. With a small, non walk-in coop, I would use a hoe to just reach in a drag stuff out into a wheelbarrow. That might not work for you.

You'll need a secure place to keep feed.

Dust baths are nice; then help chickens prevent nasty bugs and lice.

I strongly advise an emergency first aid kit.

A broody breaker. You may never need it, but silkies are noted for being a broody breed. It's never side to allow them to sit on a nest if they're not hatching eggs; they can and will starve themselves to death.

Additional notes:

Do not trust what a coop manufacturer tells you will fit in a chicken coop. They lie. They base their numbers on a theoretical situation where you are factory-farming small bantams. The chicken in my profile picture is the chicken they use in their predictions; he is six inches tall.

I advise building a coop or having one built rather than buying a pre-fab from TSC or Rural King or whoever else is selling them these days.

When looking for a coop, consider:
Ease of cleaning. My coop is a walk-in shed. No, it's not cute and tiny, but I can get in there with a shovel and pitchfork and that is very important to me.
Security. You live in a place with the normal town wildlife, right? Foxes and raccoons and loose neighbours' dogs with no fear of humans? If I were raising pet chickens with my two young daughters, I would have a Fort Knox in my backyard.
Ventilation. Chickens, even silkies, are pretty cold-hardy. What bothers them is the buildup or moisture and toxic gases from their feces. You want that air to be able to rise up and escape.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Thank you SO much! That was hugely helpful, particularly regarding coop size, as we will need to measure and see if we even realistically could construct something large and secure enough. There are coyotes in our area, and while I have never seen one in our neighborhood I know that doesn't mean they aren't there. Our yard also got hit by raccoons this Fall digging for grubs, so I know they're there as well. I'd been looking at pre-fab coops, but it sounds like those aren't the best solution. Thanks again!

You're welcome!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Great advice! I don't think you will have a hard time finding vets and other resources in the Bay (I'm from there originally).

Also keep in mind that silkies are completely flightless. They have a few different housing needs because of this, like nesting boxes on the floor, low roosts, and/or lots of ramps. Definitely Fort Knox your coop. You have plenty of predators in the BA.

Silkies are a great choice! They are not very chicken-y. I would think they'd be a great fit of you are looking for pets more than livestock.

But the climate will be perfect! That's what I miss most about the Bay... *sigh*

Good luck! Let us know how it goes! Everything you need to know about chickens (and some even stuff you don't need to know) can be found on this site.

Happy chickening!!!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Also keep in mind that silkies are completely flightless

I'm going to have to contradict you there. I admit that my three sikies aren't the best examples of silkies that exist, but two of them consistently manage to get up to a perch five feet off the ground (they prefer to roost in the barn, away from the laying flock.) Only one likes to sleep on the ground.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I'm going to have to contradict you there. I admit that my three sikies aren't the best examples of silkies that exist, but two of them consistently manage to get up to a perch five feet off the ground (they prefer to roost in the barn, away from the laying flock.) Only one likes to sleep on the ground.

Huh. I admit I'm no expert on silkies. It's just what I've read while researching breeds and talking to those supposedly in-the-know. I stand corrected! Thanks for the clarification!

See what I mean, @Michreev ? You can learn a lot on this site!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Huh. I admit I'm no expert on silkies. It's just what I've read while researching breeds and talking to those supposedly in-the-know. I stand corrected! Thanks for the clarification!

See what I mean, @Michreev ? You can learn a lot on this site!

Well, to clarify, your sources are right and mostly, they fly like bricks. But chickens are very good jumpers, and I know that even perfect-quality-fluffy show silkies can make a good three-foot standing jump. (Saw it once at a fair. That was hilarious. The poor girl, though.) Silkies do still have flight feathers, so they can make it pretty high if they flap. They won't get far, but they'll make a good attempt.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I think Sylvie gave you some awesome advice.

For veterinary care I strongly suggest learning a lot for yourself. Even if you can find a vet who sees chickens (and most "all animals" or exotic animal vets will, so if you hear of somewhere people bring a pet rabbit or reptile they will probably see chickens) there's a real chance that they will have no familiarity with them. Even if they are familiar with other birds like parrots or doves, it's not the same. Many people, even if they HAVE a vet they can see, rely on them only for things only a vet can do, IE prescription medications and serious surgical procedures. There's no point in spending $100 on a questionable vet visit when a post online and trip to Tractor Supply Company can give you definitive results. But if you call around you can probably find a vet that sees pet birds, just don't expect much from them.

Please also remember that while your chickens may be pets, they are still chickens. This comes with several unique consequences, like they still carry salmonella (salmonella infection levels are dramatically on the rise with the popularity of backyard chickens that are pets, especially in children under 6 years old), and if your chickens get a serious contagious disease that they can become a threat to our national food supply. If your dog gets a serious contagion it won't put billions of peoples livelihoods and ability to eat at risk - this is not true of your chickens. Please have a vague idea of what serious contagious illness look like in chickens, be aware of what your responsibility towards your area is in reporting those conditions, and maintain solid biosecurity for the sake of your birds as much as everyone elses.

I will also re-emphasize that prefab coops are terrible and they NEVER hold the number of chickens they say. If you only want 4 or less birds, buying a prefab can be OK if you have a good reason to not DIY it... But definitely do your research about the size of the inside of the coop because even if it says it's rated for 10-15 birds, I guarantee it will be better suited to 3-4. 4sqft in the coop, 10sqft outside, per bird, minimum for your scenario.

Aside from those two things sylvie really gave you a solid rundown on the things you need to know to get started. Chickens are fun and low maintenance, hens are quiet, silkies tend to be nice birds. You can probably look for hatching eggs, chicks or hens here on BYC or on craigslist. I know we have a lot of silkies around where I live on craigslist.