GAH Can't decide...Mille Fleur Cochins or Silkies?! HELP!

[hokankai]

So I've come to the conclusion that I need to pick either a pair of bantam mille cochins or a pair of silkies...but I'm COMPLETELY torn. I want a soft fluffy chicken to cuddle...but mille cochins are one of my dream chickens. I need pros and cons of each...but here's my current situation.

Our coop is 8x6 so it can comfortably hold 12 chickens. It is not insulated, but very well built and the coldest its gotten here is 10 degrees at night and the coop is warmer than outside. The run is 8x16t and the girls get outside time during the day to run the property around the house if we're home. We have 8 LF gals, and will be adding 3 more this spring (for eggs). I also wanted to get some bantams as "pet" chickens for my 22nd birthday. My original reasoning was to get a cochin and a silkie...one of each! But then I hear silkies bond together and cuddle...so now I'd feel bad with just the 1 silkie. So how about 2! But that would bump our chicken count to 12.5, which is over our "limit". Boo...so now I have to choose

So, if you were in my situation, which would you choose and WHY. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[gryeyes]

Cochins!!! Cochins, cochins, cochins!

Oh, forgot to say why... I don't care for silkies. And I adore Cochins, and Mille Fleur Cochins are REALLY pretty! They handle cold well, too.

 

[Break an Egg]

Cochins won't get picked on as much as a couple of silkies in a LF coop. Many people will keep silkies in a coop all by themselves for this reason. I think what would work best with what you have now would be cochins.

 

[destiny_56085]

Well coming from personal experience.... I've never ever had luck housing a silkie with large fowl. I know some people say it can be done. Some have had luck if they have been raised together. I think if you are going to throw a silkie (or 2) into an already established pen of LF, you are asking for them to get picked on non-stop or even killed. If you are looking at some of the silkies with the vaulted skulls, I predict you will see a case of crook neck almost right away. Even if they are non-vaulted and just have the bigger crests, they can't really see to defend themselves and get bullied away from the feed/water. They don't roost and most likely will huddle up under the others only to get crapped on...

 

[chickendales]

build pens in ur coop and get both

 

[hokankai]

Yeah that's what I was worried about. Maybe one day we'll set up a "bantam only" coop and can get some silkies. I am worried about how my girls would react though...didn't even think about the silkies skulls! I did have a pair of cochins at one point, but one of them was so feisty she would attack all of the big girls even though the LF girls left them alone after a couple of days.

Well that makes me feel better about my decision. I don't want anybody to get hurt

. I just wish I knew someone nearby who had some silkies I could squish. I've never even seen one in person!

 

[FarmerVal]

My silkies are housed with two of my Easter Egger hens. One silkie is a hen, the other rooster. They all seem to get along. However, they were raised together as chicks and there are only a total of 4 birds in that coop/run. My white silkie is such a sweetie and so good with the kids. She lets my 3 and 1 year old pick her up constantly (poor thing!). My silkie rooster was really sweet, but this past month he has turned evil. He charges you and will even try to fly up in your face and kick you. Don't know what's up with that.... Needless to say, the kids are no longer aloud in the run unless he is locked up in the coop.

 

[chickendales]

Quote:
he dosent fear u he thinks he bose i hear this about a lot pet roosters

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Quote:
X2!

 

[Coopa Cabana]

I can't address mixing them with LF, because all I have is Bantams. But I started with ALL silkies eight years ago, worked my thru a couple of other breeds in between, and now have ALL Cochins. I can't tell you how much happier I am with the Cochins!