Combining chickens?

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kimthom66

kimthom66

Songster
8 Years
Apr 24, 2013
291
38
161
Southeastern CT
I am a newbie to the chicken wold but I'm hooked! The trouble I'm having is I bought a pair of silkies that were kept cooped up together inside and had bad overgrown nails and very shy. I then got two older hens from a larger flock and they are picking on my silkie pair. The other problem is the rooster hurt his leg so I think he is being perceived as weak? I really am fond of my silkie pair and would rather get rid of the hens than them but I'll they get over this? Oh and I have 4 babies on their way?! How do I introduce them?!
 
Welcome to BYC!!!
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Glad to have you aboard!!
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as to nails - try wrapping the silkie up in a towel so it can't move around much,(a helper would be good) bring one foot out and trim nail bit back, then do the other foot. Give the bird some treat so she'll look forward to nail trimming.

If you do just a bit at a time you are less likely to cut into the quick and cause bleeding (flour, or quik stop, or even Vaseline on the tip will stop the bleeding if it does occur) Repeat as often as needed to gradually get the nail down to a proper length.
 
This is one thing I'm worried about with my small flock. Everything I've read makes it seem like it's very difficult to introduce birds to each other, or babies to older ones. So I'm worried if something happens to one (or more) of my six then I'm going to have a hard time getting new chicks. I really like having 6. That might not make any sense lol, I'm new, enough said
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-Katie
 
Hello and welcome from Ohio....so glad you joined BYC


My larger hens picked on my silkies too so had to build separate coops and runs for each flock. They get along fine while free-ranging tho.

Best of luck to you
 
I'm more concerned when I add 4 new babies to this flock? Perhaps the 4 will be getting along by then? Or should I get rid of the two barred rocks and just keep the silkies with the chicks as they seem to be more docile?

I don't have another coop to put the hens in at night? I have a small run that I can put them in at night but only 1 small coop?

I guess my question is will they always do this or will they get used to one another?
 

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