How to Raise Silkie Chickens? Detailed Explanation of Key Feeding and Management Techniques

Silkie chicken, also known as silkie fowl or Wushan chicken, has a history of more than 400 years. There are varieties with white feathers and black bones, black feathers and black bones, speckled feathers and black bones, all-black bones and meat, and white meat with black bones. Silkie chickens are characterized by being lightweight, nutritionally rich, and early-maturing. So how should silkie chickens be raised? What are the management techniques for raising silkie chickens?

I. Characteristics of Silkie Chickens

Silkie chickens belong to the class Aves, are of the bantam type, have wattles under the chin, ear lobes that are blue with a hint of green, and white feathers all over the body. Except for the arrow-shaped feathers on both wings and tail feathers, all are velvety down. The male has a mulberry-shaped purple-black round comb, with fine feathers behind the comb. The female has a white silky round ball on top of the head, with many fine short feathers on the upper mandible and cheeks. The claws are divided into five toes, that is, an extra toe on the hind toe, with feathered feet, and the metatarsal feathers are numerous and dense. Because the internal organs and fat of silkie chickens are black, they are called silkie chickens.

II. Management Key Points

1. Careful rearing

When chicks have just hatched, they must be kept warm. The optimal temperature for the first week is 35-36°c, for the second week 32-34°c, then lower by 2°c each week. The temperature can be reduced within 5 to 7 weeks. After chicks are 2 days old, if one-third of the chicks are seen pecking at food with their beaks, feeding can begin. In the first few days of start-feeding, feed half-cooked millet mixed with cooked egg yolk; the amount of egg yolk is 1 per 18 chicks per day. After 7 days, use a mixed feed, mainly consisting of fine grains, supplemented with vegetables, fish meal and vitamins. During brooding, about 17 birds can be kept per square meter. Drinking water should be sufficiently clean, warm water should be given early for drinking, and potassium permanganate should be added at a ratio of one ten-thousandth.

2. Raising adult chickens

Chicks grow relatively quickly, developing silky feathers at 30 days, and reaching a body weight of 250 grams at 50 days. Normally keep the chicken coop hygienic, with appropriate humidity and sufficient drinking water. During the laying period, keep the light on for 16-17 hours per day. When light is insufficient, it must be supplemented manually. Daily feed: 10% fish meal, 10% soybean cake, 20% flour, 30% corn (23162.00, 0.09%) meal, 5% sorghum, 7% rice bran, 2% shell powder; 1% auxin, 15% green feed. Use a combination of dry and wet feeding methods. Feed 4-5 times before April. During the laying process, feed more green feed to prevent excessive fat from egg production; appropriately add manganese salt to improve egg production and quality.

3. Prevention and treatment of epidemics

Although Wuji has strong disease resistance and few epidemics, the principle of “prevent disease early when there is none, treat early when there is illness” must still be adhered to. Clean the chicken coop daily, remove manure, and pay attention to moisture prevention; disinfect once a week, and scrub and disinfect feed troughs every 3~5 days; do not feed moldy or rotten feed.

4. Breeding selection

The breeding of silkie chickens must select excellent individuals with five characteristics: heavy comb, green ears, white down, five claws, and black bones. Hatching can be done in spring and autumn, but it is best to hatch in spring. Roosters need to be strong with obvious sexual characteristics; hens are required to lay more eggs and have less broodiness. The ratio of breeding roosters is 1:6, which can achieve a higher fertilization rate, and the hatched chicks are also strong. Roosters can be bred at the age of six to seven months. Hens are better in October, and can be used for 3-4 years.

III. Scientific Breeding Techniques for Silkie Chickens

1. All-in-all-out breeding method

Flat free-range raising, with litter changed once in the middle. Determine the number to raise according to the building area; sales are mainly wholesale. After selling, disinfect the empty pen for 1 week before the next batch of breeding.

2. Separate and staged feeding

Use two or more relatively independent houses, one as a nursery and one as a growing house. After grouping, disinfect the empty pens for about 1 week, then bring in the chicks. The first batch is bred, then all are moved out (or sold out within a short time); sales are mainly wholesale. After selling, disinfect the empty pens for about 1 week, then carry out the next batch of breeding.

3. Staged rearing mainly for retail

Use 3 or more relatively independent rooms divided into a brooding house, early growing house and late growing house, with an area ratio of 1:2:4. The brooding group is transferred to the early growing house at 25-30 days. After the group transfer, disinfect the empty pens for more than 1 week, then bring in chicks for brooding; at the initial 30 days, then transfer the group to the late growing house. After the group transfer, disinfect the empty pens for about 1 week and raise them. In the later period, about 20 days of rearing begins before marketing, mainly retail; the weight of each chicken sold should exceed 1 kilogram, and the selling period is about 10 days. After 20 days, whole chickens that do not reach the sale weight are discarded, the empty pens are disinfected, and preparations are made for group transfer. With such cyclical rearing, the batch rearing quantity is 20 times the average daily sales volume.

IV. Environmental Hygiene of the Farm

1. Pay attention to ventilation, frequently change the litter, and ventilate reasonably, which can promote the development of the cardiopulmonary system. Be careful when changing litter to ensure the chicken coop is clean and hygienic; generally change the litter once every 10 days, and immediately replace litter that has been soaked by water.

2. In terms of environmental hygiene, carry out frequent epidemic prevention measures in and around the chicken coop, and insist on using disinfectants every week to disinfect the chickens in the coop and surrounding activities.

3. Pay attention to biosafety. Check whether there are rat holes in the chicken coop and promptly plug the rat holes in the coop. Take effective measures to prevent cats, dogs, rats and birds from harming the chickens and reduce the spread of disease.