Aggressive chickens

[ksnull]

We have 2 20-wk Wyandotte pullets, as well as 2 others that are probably about 16 weeks (supposed to be both female, but 1's looking more roosterly) - and a silkie chick, about 12 weeks (we'd gotten 2 chicks but lost one within a few days). The chick has been kept inside in a cage while growing. We tried to put her (him?) outside in the pen once before, and again today, and one of the younger chickens (not sure which one) basically attacked the smaller one. Added to the fact that Silkies are a bit more high maintenance anyway, and now we're afraid to put her out there at all. She's outgrown the cage that we have had her in inside (more suited toward hamsters) - so now what??!! We were going to put the heat lamp into the coop for her. Any one have any ideas on how to introduce her to the bigger ones? We do have a sunroom, but it's where our outside cats hang out to eat. Not sure that's the best place to put her either. Our cats have figured out to leave the chickens alone (the 2 oldest ones are free range) but I'm afraid that putting a cage in their space might just be too much temptation. So if we put a cage in there, it'll have to be a good (and big) one. I'd like to think that come spring, we might be able to try again...or create her own pen outside...maybe put her with some chicks.... Any thoughts? I don't really want to have to find a new home for her, she's really sweet. But I do recognize that chickens aren't really meant to be housepets.

Thanks for any input!

 

[pgpoultry]

Hi, Well a few thoughts.
At 12 weeks she should not be needing the heat lamp as she will be fully feathered.
Can you put up some temporary chicken wire between your older birds and the Silkie so they can get used to each other without being able to contact each other? In this way things may be OK when you remove the wire.
Try doing introductions between the Silkie and just one or tow of your younger juveniles so that she has a number of buddies when she is out with the rest of the mob.

I certainly wouldn't go down the road of having to have a house chicken yet, nor of having a solo chick. I currently have a week old solo chick from a rubbish hatch and she shouts constantly until removed from her box to sit on my shoulder. (Cute, but pretty demanding).

Good Luck with the introductions,

Sandie

 

[buildingmyark]

I have a great idea! Why don't you.... Build a whole new coop and run for that silkie chick plus some additional silkies (that you don't have yet). Yes! That sounds like lots of chicken math fun! A new crib for high-maintenance ladies only!

 

[ksnull]

We don't need the heat lamp inside for her, but outside we sure will. We live in PA, it was 36 at 8am this morning. I like the idea of putting in a separate wall to introduce them to each other. We have a tractor style coop, so I'd feel like I need to give her the coop and put them in the open section. Or just put her outside during the day to start with so they can see each other.

As far as the other suggestion of redoing the entire thing with the plan of getting more silkies, LMAO. We weren't exactly planning to raise a bunch of chickens, it was more to get our own eggs (which we have yet to get) and then in looking at the different breeds I fell in love with the Silkies. We found a breeder near us and bought one, who was outside (before the 2 younger ones) and doing just fine, all summer. But all of a sudden she died, mid-August, and we have no idea why.

Makes us a bit leery of getting more Silkies when we really only made a small pen and have a small coop, and we live in northern PA. Otherwise I like your idea though....