integrating white leghorns & a Silkie?

[Osburnsa]

I have 6 white leghorn pullets that I'm about to move out to their coop. They are 6 weeks old today. I have a 5 week old Silkie who we got as a pet, but I'm thinking it might be a roo. I have kept it separate from the others due to their growth rate/size difference. I'm wondering if/when it would be possible to put him with the pullets. They're so much bigger & more mature than he is right now. He's barely getting tail feathers & they are twice his size & fully feathered. Will it be possible to integrate them, or should I work on a separate coop for him? Sorry for the questions, but this is our first time with chickens.

 

[Osburnsa]

Bumping in hopes of a reply

 

[Den in Penn]

It is possible to integrate them. There wouldn't be too much of a problem, with them being the nearly same age. You can either put the straight in together with supervision, or put the single in a partitioned area of the brooder/ coop for a few days then remove the partition.

 

[Folly's place]

If you haven't yet moved them, try putting the cockrel in the coop first, then adding the pullets later. Watch them, can they go out in the run or free ranging? More space is safer! Silkies aren't as hardy as 'normal' feathered birds, and he will be smaller, but he is a cockrel, so hopefully all will be well. Mary

 

[Osburnsa]

I moved the pullets today. They just couldn't be in the bathroom one more day. What a mess! They do have a fair sized run. We can't free range because of my dogs, but they're run is 13x10. The coop is 10x10.

My Silkie isn't ready to be outside yet. He's still getting feathers, (such as they are.) Honestly, I'm still not even sure he's a cockerel. I guess one he's feathered I'll take him out for a visit & see how it goes.