How bad is it if...

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

How much truble will it be if you mix full size breeds with bantams in the same coop

?

Here is the deal we have Five 26 weekers and Six 15 weekers and one 11 weeker. The 11 weeker is a bantam silkie and in the house.

The 15 week olds there are 4 ees , BA, and a BJG are in a small shed and run . The 26 weekers are 3 New Hamshire reds and 2 GLW and in the coop. I need the shed back

and the silkie out of the house

. So what are your Ideas?

Thanks

 

[Pequena Bandada]

There's no problem with mixing full sized and bantam chickens in the same coop. You might have a problem integrating the 11 weeker since she's sure to be smaller and doesn't have friends to protect her. Perhaps give her some places to hide in the coop/run until you're sure that everyone is getting along.

 

[justbugged]

I have always run my silkies with the other bigger girls. I have even integrated a couple of Sermas into the group. I agree that the biggest issue will be simply introducing a new bird into the flock.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

I keep my bantams and standards together and have for twelve years, and they do just fine! Silkies are a bit docile and won't stand up for themselves oftentimes, so be careful when integrating, but once integrated they do just fine.

What bantams lack in size they generally make up for with being feisty little things! Not silkies, but most other bantams.

 

[midget_farms]

Ditto what was said before - its not the size or breed, but the age & the fact that the banty is alone.

When you integrate any two flocks there will be pecking order shifts.

I always introduce my new birds after dark (around 10pm) because the established hens can't count & if they wake up with more hens than they went to bed with they don't notice.

All of your older hens will peck the new one though & for the first week or so chase her relentlessly. She will need lots of space to run & maybe a couple tight corners to hide in. But mostly she will need space to run. It won't take her long to know when to run & if she doesn't have the space they will gang up & kill her.

That said - I've never had that happen - but I've always had lots or run room.

After about a week everything will settle down & they will all be in the same flock. I have 2 silkies, 2 polish & a ton of buff orps & aracauna's. They all live together happily in the same coop.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Try looking here and scroll down to see:
(another poster posted a link to this on another thread I saw today)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock

 

[sourland]

Realistically, you will have problems integrating a younger, smaller silky into that flock. She will be the target of all of the 11 other chickens. Try it gradually one of the last dominant birds at a time. Standard birds raised with bantams constitutes no or few problems. Intoducing smaller birds into an established flock puts them on the bottom of the pecking order. Add to that the reduced vision from a crest and you have an easy target.

 

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

thanks everybody for help. I thought about this if i wait for her to be the same size as the 16 weekers add her in with them wait a week or 2 once they settle down that group

would make 7 and then at night put the 7 in the coop with the big 5 And let them out to free range earlly the next morning and set up lots of hiding spaces would that

work?

THANKS

 

[chickiedoo]

I have a silkie banty, rhode island red, and a black sexlink all together and theyre all good buds. No problems. Maybe introduce them slowly so they can adjust to each other and see how it goes. Thats what I did and it seems to have worked out ok.

 

[drumstick diva]

could you get another silkie around her age so she has a buddy to confide in and bolster each others courage. If you don't plan on showing, you could tie up the topknots with a soft material ,old fashion pot holder loops are good and don't snap like rubber bands. When they have topknots out of the way, they can see what's going on (raptors etc).You'll be surprised at how much smarter they appear when they can see around them.