What breeds can I add with my silkies?

[Texashatching14]

Hi y'all. I have 5 silkie pullets and 1 Cochin. I'm noticing silkies aren't the best layers haha. So I'm looking to add 2 more hens, and maybe rehome a couple, or trade, ect. When looking, should I only look for bantams? Or can I add 2 full sized hens? That's all I'm seeming to find here.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Australorps. Excellent egg-layers, minimal pecking order fuss. Also, they're beautiful.

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

Full size are okay as long as you introduce properly. Go for a friendlier breed.

 

[SueT]

Well, getting standard breed chicks might work just fine as the Silkies will be older and in charge. I have brown leghorns and bantams together, they were raised together. The leghorns are great layers, and don't bully anyone.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I raised all my large fowl and Silkies together until I added large fowl roosters, then separated to prevent any accidental mating injury. And I mean dozens of breeds from Orpington, Marans, Leghorn, Swedish Flower, Welsummer, Ameraucana, EE, barred Rock, and so on.

Get something you are interested in!

Silkies would be considered a "friendlier" breed... but to me human friendlier and flock friendlier are two different thing and Silkies can be just as big of beeyotches as ANY other breeds AND they can often hold their own!

For people friendliness and beauty... I'm really digging the Speckled Sussex lately.

I'd consider waiting until one of the Silkies go broody (not 1 of mine doesn't), and then add some feed store chicks (2-4) for her to raise... integration problem solved.

Good luck!

 

[Cellomama2]

My silkies hate me but, for the most part, are fine in my mixed flock. Just like others have said, bantams can hold their own in the flock as long as you don't add chickens that tend to be jerks.

Funny story: I have a large lavender orpington rooster that popped up in my chicks this year and after not being able to find a home I decided to try to add him to my flock so he could get bigger while acting like a chicken for at least a little while. Introduced them properly and after a few face to face intros with them, and fighting with the standard sized ones, I decided to try one more time. My bantam blue wyandotte, who was being broody during the other intros, walked up to him, staring him in the eye, and beat the poop out of him until he went running in the other direction. For the next few weeks she only had to look at him and he kept his distance from the rest of the flock. Shes not even the dominant hen but for some reason was not taking anything from this guy.

 

[Texashatching14]

Thanks yall! I found this ad online. Do you know what breeds they may be and does it look like they're all hens? It says hens in the post but I'm not good at telling. Do you think they'd be okay to try with my silkies?

 

[SueT]

Thanks yall! I found this ad online. Do you know what breeds they may be and does it look like they're all hens? It says hens in the post but I'm not good at telling. Do you think they'd be okay to try with my silkies?View attachment 1500125

They are probably hens, but adding adult hens to your silkies is not the same as adding chicks. Your gentle little Silkies would be at a big disadvantage. These may be Rhode Island Reds, which are known to be a pushy aggressive breed. I would never add RIRs to meek little Silkies. Actually I would never own one again under any circumstances...

 

[112Days]

My silver-laced Wyandottes are great layers but little dinosaurs. I suspect it has to do with conditioning and the fact that they eat barn mice and subpar (weak-shelled or leathery) eggs when I give them to them, but still, they're fairly people friendly and great free rangers.

 

[Hamiam]

@Texashatching14, yea, I would avoid Rhode Island Reds or Red Sex Links. Where are you located in Texas? I have my PT testing scheduled for next week & once that's complete, I will have some 3 month old Swedish Flower Hen Pullets & 55 Flowery Hen Pullets for sale. I love the SFH, it's cool that they all look different.