Adding to your flock

[bgeyer]

Ay suggestions on how to add to your flock without causing stress?

Is it true that regular size chickens do not view silkies as chickens?

 

[ChickensRDinos]

If you are adding new chickens make sure to quarantine them first to make sure they do not have any disease. I would also dust them all for mites even if you don't see any (I have been burned by that in the past).

Be sure that your coop, nests and roosts are all large enough. Overcrowding makes bullying a lot worse.

If you have a large wire dog crate or a hardware cloth pin or any sort of cage where the chickens can be "together" in the yard without really being together that is a great way to start. This way the chickens can see each other and get used to get other but are all safe. I would do this for a week before actually putting them together.

Once you have put them all in the same coop they will be mean. It's part of their natural social behavior. They will need to establish a new pecking order and you just gotta let them do it. I would only interfere if you see blood. If you do see blood separate the injured chicken until fully healed.

Also watch to make sure all of the birds are getting to eat. Sometimes bully birds will guard the food. A second temporary feeder can help if you see this happening.

I have a small flock with several different breeds including one silkie. Silkies are a bit different because they do need special accommodations. They don not really scratch. They do not roost. They can not fly or really even hop. She is definitely the lowest bird on the pecking order. But, they do still all hang out and act like a flock.