Do your Silkies get picked on?

[Christina.Rich]

Hi everyone.

I have 15 chickens, 5 of them being 7 week old Partridge Silkie chicks. I slowly integrated them with the rest of my flock (which consists of a few Buff Orphington Hens, Rhode Island Reds, and a couple Cochins over the past 3 weeks. The last week-ish they have been in the same coop with the hens.

The first few days there were a couple random pecks here and there to establish the pecking order which I fully intended. However, it almost seems like its getting worse and not better. The Silkies have stopped wanting to sleep in the coop. Ill come out to close the coop a night, and the Silkies will be huddled in the corner near the ramp of the coop door, but not in the coop. I'm guessing because they get picked on even more when they are in the coop.

I am just wondering if this is common for Silkies, or just common in general. I feel bad for the Silkies enough to separate them at night, and then let them out in the run during the day. They have no friends, and just hang to themselves. Heaven forbid they even try to eat or drink water when any other hen is trying to eat or drink, they get pecked away instantly. I've since purchased more feeders and drinkers so that they can separate, but even that hasn't fixed the problem completely.

Any advice or information that you can give me will be extremely helpful. I am new to chickens as of the last year, so I rely heavily on this forum to learn the ways

 

[SueT]

Add more food and water stations! Let them wait go in to roost after everyone is asleep. The meeker breeds tend to end up in this predicament. I have a D'uccle like that.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

I think Buffs and RIR's have a tendency to bully other breeds, Silkies are normally pretty docile and lower in the pecking order. Do they have any place in the coop to get away from the others? I would make sure they have a few hiding spots. I added some pullets after a nice long see but don't touch period, but I still keep food and water in one of their hiding spots where only they have access to be sure they are getting some. When things calm down I'll slowly remove it.

 

[Christina.Rich]

I think Buffs and RIR's have a tendency to bully other breeds, Silkies are normally pretty docile and lower in the pecking order. Do they have any place in the coop to get away from the others? I would make sure they have a few hiding spots. I added some pullets after a nice long see but don't touch period, but I still keep food and water in one of their hiding spots where only they have access to be sure they are getting some. When things calm down I'll slowly remove it.

I currently don't have a place for them to get away, but that does seem like a really good idea. In regards to keeping food and water in the hiding spots where only they have access to it, how would I go about making sure no one else but them would have access to it?

I can provide pictures of my coop if that would help

 

[SueT]

I have 11 chickens and when integrating the newcomers, I had 6 bowls of feed all around the run, plus 2 hanging feeders in the coop. I use plastic dog bowls w high sides, and 2 were double bowl. I have 3 places for water. Now they are getting along better, I have removed some of the feeders.

 

[alexa009]

Rhode island reds are prone to bullying other breeds and especially would pick on a small breed like silkies. Silkes can't see well and its hard for them to get away when being attacked. I believe they also get picked on more beacause of their appearance. Try putting them in when its dark and the reds won't be able to see them.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

I just make the opening small enough that the bigger ones can't follow. If you have a cage or something just cover the opening with cardboard and cut out a door only your Silkies can fit through.

 

[SueT]

I just make the opening small enough that the bigger ones can't follow. If you have a cage or something just cover the opening with cardboard and cut out a door only your Silkies can fit through.

My big fat hens have proven they can squeeze thru a 4" by 3" opening.....