Bully

[Honora]

Hi all,

So I had a severe bullying incident a couple of weeks ago. My boss Ameraucana hen had been pecking at my Silkie a bit for a week or so but she had always managed to get away. Then one day I heard one of the chickens making a horrible shriek in the backyard. I went outside to find that the 2 Ameraucanas had cornered my Silkie and pecked her to death.

My 2 Ameraucanas are about a year old and the Silkie was about 2 years old, never had any problems with each other before. I have heard that larger birds often pick on Silkies, so maybe that was the reason for the attack?

So anyway, I ordered 3 Golden Laced Wyandotte chicks that I'll be getting around the beginning of May, and my question is, do you all think they will get along with the Ameraucanas? Was it just a size/personality issue between Ameraucanas and Silkies, or is my boss chicken just a big bully who will be mean to the new chickens as well?

Any advice appreciated, thanks!

 

[jtbrown]

Hard to say. I have 2 silkies that I raised with my last large order of chicks. One of the silkies got a quarter sized hole poked in back of her neck. I was lucky to have caught the incident before they killed her. (Very lucky). But I separated them for several months and then slowly reintroduced, now they do well, don't know what the difference is.

Of course you will separate the new girls while chicks, but I recommend having the space to keep them separate but visible to each other until the new ones are full sized, maybe even point of lay. May not be possible and the bullies may never be a problem again, but regardless good luck!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Silkies, especially ones with larger crests, don't typically do well in a flock that has high strung breeds. They're so docile they just roll over and take it, sometimes they just can't see well enough to keep getting away from a bully.
I keep my Silkies in their own coop for this reason. Your GLW will likely be fine. In fact, they'll end up being big girls so they might just put your bully in her place. Just wait to let everyone mingle until they're all about the same size. Good luck

 

[Honora]

Thanks for the advice! That's reassuring that they will probably do ok. We will build some separate living quarters for the newbies & hopefully everyone will get along when they are the same size!