integrating one hen

[Lisa G.]

So I have a flock of 9 hens who usually get along ok. 2 months ago I purchased a 7 month old silky pullet and a 3 week old brahma pullet and kept the two of them together in a separate coop and run together. They became fast friends and the brahma looked out for the silky. Problem is Brahma died yesterday.

My "big girls" are not very kind to the tiny silky and I am worried about trying to integrate her into grown up flock alone. She goes out with the big girls in the hen yard, but usually stays on her own, and few of my hens chase and go after her. Thoughts? should I get another young pullet to hang out with the silky first? She is now in her own coop and run by herself.....

 

[Thyme4Chickens]

What breeds are your other chickens? I've never had silkies, but I have read that often times silkies do best when kept with other silkies.

What size is the coop and run your silkie is in now? Depending on it's size, maybe add a few more silkies and have a separate silkie flock?

 

[ChickNanny13]

It's been done yet often advised not to keeping Silkies with a flock of LF. You could get 2 Silkies maybe a little younger than her, keeping them separate from LF. It's also been advised to quaratine when acquiring new birds. Or you could try put her in a wire cage with food/water, put that in the big girls area. She's safe & yet the LF get to "know" her.

 

[Lisa G.]

my other hens are mixed - polish, houdan, wyandotte, cream legbars, orpington, speckled sussex. the big girls have a big coop and lots of run space. The silkie is in a small prefab coop with smallish run. It's not really ideal for longterm living.

I think i will try the wire cage and see what happens. I am probably humanizing this a bit too much but i feel awful for her.....

 

[Lisa G.]

and yes, i always quarantine.

 

[Thyme4Chickens]

I don't think you're "humanizing" the situation - chickens are flock creatures and do get depressed by themselves!

 

[ChickNanny13]

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