- Dec 16, 2007
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We're new to chickens. This past spring we got 7 standard chicks--2 RIRs, 1 leghorn, 1 Aurecana, 1 Delaware, 1 Buff Orph, and 1 Barred Plymouth Rock. When these chicks grew to be 2 months of age, a friend of ours gave us 2 bearded buff silkies who were supposedly 5 months and females . . .
All the chickens live together, and it's been 6 months now that we have had the silkies and all 9 of the girls have lived together. We've got a coop that attaches to a run, and when we're around the girls are allowed to free range on our farm (they love picking through our horse manure!!)
The thing is, the silkies are just really odd acting, and I'm worried they might be depressed! The two do not interact with the other chickens, and they hardly move at all. Unlike the other girls who relish running around and pecking at whatever they can, the silkies barely make it out of the coop, and when they do they just stand in their run up against the wall of the coop. Neither has layed, yet, so we're wondering if they are indeed female, but then again neither has crowed. They basically don't interact at all with the larger girls, but it's not as if they're picked on either. Even so, they seem overall terrified by life.
Do you think we should try seperating them from our standards? Should we try to find them a home where they'd be happier? Do others have experiences with this?
All the chickens live together, and it's been 6 months now that we have had the silkies and all 9 of the girls have lived together. We've got a coop that attaches to a run, and when we're around the girls are allowed to free range on our farm (they love picking through our horse manure!!)
The thing is, the silkies are just really odd acting, and I'm worried they might be depressed! The two do not interact with the other chickens, and they hardly move at all. Unlike the other girls who relish running around and pecking at whatever they can, the silkies barely make it out of the coop, and when they do they just stand in their run up against the wall of the coop. Neither has layed, yet, so we're wondering if they are indeed female, but then again neither has crowed. They basically don't interact at all with the larger girls, but it's not as if they're picked on either. Even so, they seem overall terrified by life.
Do you think we should try seperating them from our standards? Should we try to find them a home where they'd be happier? Do others have experiences with this?