Health & Care · Birds
Silkie Chicken Care
Hygiene, Diapers, and Training
The chicken that cannot fly, cannot see past her crest and cannot get wet. 10 lessons on Silkie anatomy and why it changes everything, poopy butt and the sanitary vent trim, high-protein feeding through the autumn molt, predator-proofing for a bird that cannot escape, diapers and flight suits for house time, target training and recall with mealworms, bath day and safe blow-drying, scaly leg mites and eye checks, breaking a broody hen safely, and caring for a senior hen.
About this course
Silkies are not ordinary chickens, and most of what goes wrong with them comes from treating them like one. Lesson 1 explains the feather mutation that makes them soft, flightless and not waterproof, plus the crest that blocks their vision and the five toes that need grooming. Lesson 2 is poopy butt: why droppings stick, how to do a sanitary vent trim with blunt scissors, and how to soak paste off instead of pulling. Lesson 3 raises protein to 18 to 20 percent for the autumn molt and keeps grit and oyster shell on hand. Lesson 4 is predator-proofing for a bird that cannot see a hawk or fly from a fox, including the visibility haircut. Lesson 5 brings her indoors with a diaper or flight suit introduced two minutes at a time, and Lesson 6 teaches target training and yard recall with a chopstick and mealworms. Lesson 7 is bath day and the low-heat blow-dry that keeps a soaked Silkie from getting cold. Lesson 8 checks legs for scaly mites, eyes for debris and breathing for trouble. Lesson 9 breaks a broody hen safely in a wire-bottom crate, and Lesson 10 adjusts the coop for a senior hen with stiff joints.
What you'll learn
- Why Silkie feathers, crests and five toes change her care, and handling poopy butt safely
- Feeding 18 to 20 percent protein through the molt, with grit and oyster shell always available
- Predator-proofing a coop for a flightless bird, and introducing diapers and flight suits slowly
- Target training with a chopstick and mealworms, and building a recall across the yard
- Bath day with mild shampoo and a low-heat blow-dry, and checking legs, eyes and breathing
- Breaking a broody hen in a wire-bottom crate, and modifying the coop for a senior Silkie
Who this is for
Backyard keepers who added a Silkie to a standard flock and noticed she needs different care; families whose Silkie comes inside for cuddles and would like the carpet to survive it; and anyone whose hen has been sitting on golf balls for two weeks.
Course outline (10 modules)
Quiz & Certificate
Knowledge quiz
After completing all lessons, take a short quiz to test your understanding.
Go to quiz →Completion certificate
Pass the quiz and earn a shareable certificate of completion.
View certificate →Frequently asked questions
Ready to get started?
$9.99 · Lifetime access · 10 lessons