Thank you so much for the information. I have been doing a lot of research on different breeds as I do not want an aggression problem. I appreciate the valuable information.Silkies are amazing little darlings! They are my all-time favorite for cuteness, petting, holding, funny antics, beauty, docile yet some have spunky attitudes, etc etc etc. Downside IMO is that Silkie hens are excessively broody which means you'll be lucky to get 50 or 60 eggs their pullet year and 20% less eggs each successive laying year -- number of eggs varies but that's an average. My Partridge Silkie stopped laying eggs at 5 years and my Black Silkie was still laying at 6 years but had to be put down because of a bleeding ovarian tumor. So if you're thinking you'll have a nice supply of bantam Silkie eggs don't count on it unless you have LOTS of Silkies -- but then you'd have LOTS of annoying broodies to deal with too. Some people don't like to deal with broody type breeds but I personally didn't mind. Just had to make sure the broody sitting on her empty nest for 3 to 6 weeks got taken off daily to eat/drink/exercise before she rushed back to brood on her empty nest again LOL!
There should never be just one Silkie amongst standard or large breed chicken flocks. The little Silkie angels can run and jump and flap their little wings but can't really fly away from danger or protect their little 2-lb bodies should bigger hens get cranky and peck at them -- and even nice hens have times when they can get cranky and spar with other hens and a little Silkie can be an easy target -- it's a chicken thing vying for pecking order status!
I had two Silkies together in a flock of bigger breeds and the two Silkies toodled around together away from the bigger hens. I had to rehome a Cuckoo Marans, White Leghorn, and Buff Leghorn because they are more aggressive in temperament around my Silkies and were too aggressive toward our docile Blue Wheaten Ameraucana. I no longer keep standard size hens or have larger breeds known for their more feisty or aggressive type temperaments.
My oldest hen is our 8-year-old Partridge Silkie and she lost her Black Silkie companion 2 years ago at which time I introduced Dominique chicks into the flock and they have grown up with the Partridge Silkie and they submit to her by bowing their heads down if she wants to eat first and the Silkie will chest-bump them (she can't reach to peck the tops of their heads) and they will back down from her. It's so cute to watch her rule the roost. I also have a skittish rare Cuckoo Breda who usually is a docile breed but once in a while the Breda will harass the little Silkie -- the two Dominique hens will immediately jump at the Breda for causing a ruckus -- it's the oddest thing to see the Doms protecting the little Silkie. Silkie feels safe around the Doms and will stay with them while the Breda has to sit somewhat near but apart from the group. The Doms will not allow the Breda to misbehave toward the Silkie.
I adore Silkies and considered getting another Silkie companion for her. However, she is getting up in years and if I lose her I'd be left with a loner Silkie again so I decided against getting another Silkie pullet -- I remember the years of broody bouts with my two Silkies when they'd go broody at the same time and not just once a year but sometimes 2 and 3 times a year. If I had JUST Silkies I could handle 3 or 4 of them -- but having sweet gentle little Silkies amongst a flock of bigger pushier standard hens like Leghorns, Barred Rocks, Marans, Wyandottes, Rhode Isand Reds, etc, just wouldn't work. As pullets or under-two-year-old hens most standard size breeds can be okay with Silkies. What I found out is once a hen turns about 3 years old, after her 3rd year molt, a hen gets bolder -- where once she was on best behavior in previous years she can suddenly go wonky, dominant, and get aggressive. I would die seeing Silkies become targets of possible aggression from big hens that Silkies have neither the size nor the weight to stave off.
If an owner decides on Silkies I do recommend getting 3 or 4 minimum so they can form a flock apart from the bigger breeds. Mixing Silkies with other breeds can be done but it depends so much on the environment, space, protective foliage or shelters, temperament of individual chickens as some can be very nice and others can be holy terrors.
@Fancychooklady has had years of experience with Silkies and @Hinotori has years of experience with Partridge Silkies and both offer excellent Silkie advice IMO
When a certain breed interests me I contact actual owners and/or breeders who have them and get firsthand knowledge of their experiences which has been invaluable for making my decisions. GL whatever you owners decide to get -- research breeds about temperaments, sizes, docileness, aggression, hardiness, etc etc before throwing different breeds together in an open flock. Foreknowledge is power and success!
8-yr-old Partridge Silkie has some quiet time in the vegetable garden -- she's my first (and oldest lived) hen in my yard.
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