Do Silkies need a seperate coop?

[wildriverswolf90]

I have 7 buff orpington and 3 cochins in my large coop. And I now have 6 silkies that are 3 weeks old.
When the silkies are full grown would a be able to move them in with my big girls? I'm worried because the big girls are standard.
Will they pick on or kill my silkies?

 

[foxypoproxy]

Its possible they could kill them.
But ive had bantams and standard in a flock before with no problem.
It all depends on the personality of your birds and how you introduce them.

 

[chickflick]

I have two silkies that are fine with the big girls in their big girl coop. But, I also had other silkies that just would not make it in the big girl coop. They were smaller and more timid. So, I do have a separate bantam coop and run. They do come out and free range with the big girls but they stick close to their coop. You got to keep an eye on the big girls tho. If you have bullies, you might have to keep them separated.

 

[LuckyInKy]

I had some silkies that were raised from chicks with my large hens and were fine with them in the run and coop. Then I bought some new silkies and they are very timid and have to be separated. They are so slow and mild mannered that my kids carry them all over the place. We let them all free range in the yard together but coop and feed them separately.

 

[BantamoftheOpera]

I had some major issues with introducing my silkie at the typical age of introduction (He was introduced to the senior flock with 3 other standard Juniors). He was badly injured and I had to wait for him to feather back in. I started slowly introducing him back into the flock two weeks ago. I propped a board up against the side of my run where I could keep his own food and water so he was not struggling to survive. He goes in the coop at night and stays inside in the morning. Then he spends most of the day in his little lean to. He free ranges fine with the rest of the flock. We bought him a bantam coop in September, but it needs some TLC before anyone can move in. We are also in Maine and did not want to start a bantam flock this close to winter, if he never fully integrates with this flock than we will get him some friends in the spring.

I suggest introducing silkies later than the recommended age. Make sure yours are big enough to take some bullying from the big kids. There is strength in numbers so having six should make things much easier. Good luck, I know how hard it is to let them out with those standards.

 

[wildriverswolf90]

Thank you all so much for your words of wisdom!! I guess I'll split my coop and give 1/4 to the silkies that way they can get used to eachother for a long while! And if not guess I'll search for a used coop!

THANKS!

 

[kerrysmommy]

i am going to start breeding/raising silkies and removeing them from the coop they are in next spring or so so they can be in their own but there is nothing wrong with haveing them in the same coop

 

[frizzleman74]

i wouldnt worry about it, my silkies are fine with the big girls...just start slowly introducing them in your run or when your chickens free range with supervision and as they mature they will get used to each other which will make the transfer into your flock much easier

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Silkies sometimes don't want to roost. If they do, they need a very low roost. You might want to plan for that eventuality. Also they don't really like ramps but can be trained to use them- just let them go DOWN the ramp by themselves and don't help.

The best age for introductions is around 4 months old. Sometimes you can get by with integrating them at an earlier age. But even at 6-8 weeks they will still be acting like babies. And even older than that.

You don't want to have your silkies bullied because they are susceptible to brain swelling/damage from pecks to the head (hole in skull). My silkies are in with a large flock of mixed breeds, some bantams and some large fowl. They sleep on the floor on a little piece of wood (a half-round of firewood about 6-8 inches high).

 

[silkielover5]

we have 1 silkie with 35 standards and bantams and she does just fine.