EGGCITED!! Ordered my babies yesterday!

[realsis]

I have heard that bantams and large fowl will not get along but it has to do with there personalities as well your two breeds are super sweet so I wouldn't worry about that

Thanks you so much!! I sure hope your right!! I picked Barred Rock because they are hubby's favorite and are said to be docile . I'm sure praying it works out!!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you have a "plan B" just in case the Barred Rocks become too much for the Silkies?
Not saying that they won't get along, but BR are fairly large. All mine are large fowl, so not sure about how the size difference will come into play.

 

[realsis]

I just talked to hubby about that and he said if it does become a issue we will split the run into. I suppose I'd have to build another house for the silkies to sleep. They are my girls and I truely love them, I'm hoping and praying for Peace but if not, the silkies WILL be protected by splitting their run. I can't let any of them free range sadly because I live right in the middle of hawks nests at the river. They are huge and fly over daily.Hubby said he wanted the big girls to free range but I asked him if he's crazy and reminded him of the hawks! so we will keep my little bantams safe and split run if we have to.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

I have two bantams and my Barred Rock was fine with them. She was quiet and calm, not a lot of personality but no trouble and she was a faithful layer. Sadly, a coyote came over our wall last week and took her

My Silkie had no problem pushing around the two larger hens, the BR and an EE. My poor little d'Uccle gets picked on, though.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I just talked to hubby about that and he said if it does become a issue we will split the run into. I suppose I'd have to build another house for the silkies to sleep. They are my girls and I truely love them, I'm hoping and praying for Peace but if not, the silkies WILL be protected by splitting their run. I can't let any of them free range sadly because I live right in the middle of hawks nests at the river. They are huge and fly over daily.Hubby said he wanted the big girls to free range but I asked him if he's crazy and reminded him of the hawks! so we will keep my little bantams safe and split run if we have to.

That's a good plan. Do you have room in your coop to add extra roosting if that become an issue. I know Silkies usually don't roost so that may not even come into play. I would think the BR will want to eventually roost (all mine started at about 8wks). Give them some little sticks to play roost on while they are babies. Also some perches/roosts in the run if you can (I just use large branches), the big girls like that and love to dust bathe as well. I don't free range either, I have hawks, coyotes, loose dogs running through, etc. They love to stay busy and scratch, I put in leaves and pine needles and they will dig through those for days. When this is all spread out, I just rake it all back into a pile and they dig through it again

...and again.
I think your DH will love the big girls, they have a nice weight and those tight feathers are velvety soft.
Your Silkies may do these things too, but I just don't know much about their behavior, so...

 

[realsis]

Hi thank you for the reply. no my silkies do NOT roost. They cuddle together or dig a nest and cuddle into it at night. It's funny you mentioned that because I just told hubby he's going to have to fix up some roosts for the gals because they don't sleep like silkies. The silkies Love♡♡ dirt baths and stretching out in the sunshine too. it's so precious.I don't have the roosts yet but I'm getting on hubby to make them. Other than that Silkies are much like any other chicken just very docile friendly and calm unless danger is about. Then my lead hen hollers out really loud for me to come.in have no rooster so I assume the roll. lol.I will keep you posted if you want. Their hatch and ship date is April 11th. I have to wait because I have such a small order of only 5 females.it's so funny because their newly hatched size is about as big as a month old silkie baby. lol.we were comparing pictures.anyhow let me know and I will keep you posted on it if you want.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Oh yes, keep me posted!
Would love to see your new babies when they arrive and of course how they make progress with the Silkies.

 

[realsis]

ok I sure will keep you posted!!I will put up some pictures! one of my Silkies is so motherly she will just love them! I just pray they love the silkies too!! I'm going to brood in my washroom this year. I usually do it in the spare bedroom but this year my daughter is moving back home and she's pregnant due in june, so the room will be her room/ nursery...I hope the washer dryer don't scare the chicks!!!never brooded in there before. I would have considered the Garage but we've had some rats. I'm pretty sure hubby got them all but I can't chance it. also my vent isn't screened to the Garage and we get possum and raccoons especially in summer/spring when the fruit trees ripen and I'm afraid a critter will get them through the uncovered vent hole.so laundry room it is. it's not a very big room but should work out ok, I hope!! what do you think?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I think that will be great!
I'm sure they will love your motherly Silkie.
As far as the machine scaring the chicks, probably not.
I brooded in the coop (summer time) which is next to the wood shed, tool/tractor shed. Before they were even a weeks old they were used to chainsaws, tractor noises, hammering, log splitter, etc.
I think if you introduce them to normal everyday noises at an early age, they do just fine.

 

[WRanch]

Hi all, I'm new to posting here, but have been reading BYC for a couple of weeks now.
I bought 9 chicks from the local feed store (apparently unvaccinated, just found out) last week and they are out in the coop with my 2 larger girls in a rabbit hutch I custom retrofitted for them with a heat lamp. I just saw Blooie's post about the heating pad method and WOW! What a fantastic idea! I wish I had seen that before I went with the lamp.

So far it looks like I might have 5 Ameraucana's, 2 Buff Orphington, and 2 Welsummer. They are doing well so far...

I have 10 French Black Copper Marans arriving the first week of March (they will be vaccinated), so will be setting up the heating pad system for them.

This is the first time I've had chicks in almost 20 years...I'm a bit nervous, but hoping for the best.