Adding silkies to my flock

[MissJames]

I have some RIR's and will be getting some BO's and Speckled Sussex chicks this spring.I want to get a few silkies also.Can they be raised together or do other breeds pick on them?
I currently have 2 roos and will need to rehome or cull one of them.Maybe both.

 

[gumpsgirl]

I personally don't mix my bantam breeds with my standard breeds. The standards could really hurt the bantam sized chickens. You might be able to get away with it, but I for one wouldn't try it. To risky.

 

[Judymae]

I have 3 silkies in my coop with my other standard breeds (about 30 of them). They seem to do just fine. But I will admit that you can definently tell how "different" a silkie is when they are with other chickens. They seem to do their own thing and to not be bothered by anything. I love'em!! My blue silkie hen hangs out with the ducks every spring. When the momma duck sits on her nest of eggs the silkie lays beside her and when she gets up to eat or drink my silkie will steal her eggs!! It is the funniest thing to watch. Then when the silkie gets up to do her thing the momma duck will steal the eggs back. It is so funny to watch!

 

[gumpsgirl]

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This is good to know! I am just more reserved, I suppose.

 

[Judymae]

Really mine do just fine. I guess because the silkies aren't aggressive at all. They just do their own "thing". If you have silkies you know exactly what I mean!! I have one hen and two roos. Now the roos used to spar off at each other. But they never did any damage to one another. Just jumped and chest butted. They quit that after a month or so and just do the silkie "thing" now.

I wonder if the silkies do fine with the standards because they really aren't that much smaller. I have BRs and EEs and speckled sussexs mainly. My other banties look smaller than the silkies. I think most of their size is fluff though!!!

 

[gumpsgirl]

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Could be! I wouldn't dare put my Silkie girl in with my standards because my Orpingtons are so big. They are about twice the size of my BR girl.

 

[MissJames]

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Could be! I wouldn't dare put my Silkie girl in with my standards because my Orpingtons are so big. They are about twice the size of my BR girl.

I really want to do a smaller,seperate coop and run for them,but my husband has put so much time into the main coop I hate to ask.Especially since the silkies will be my "pets".