Introducing Two Silkies

[rooster whisperer]

Hi Everyone. This is my first post. I have learned so much from reading what everyone else has to say, but now I have a question.
We have 15 free ranging standard chickens. They are 17 weeks old and we had them since they were day olds. Yesterday we got two silkies, which are about the same age- but of course much smaller. We were told to just put them in with our chickens and let them work out the pecking order. We tried this for awhile, but the two silkies were getting pecked so violently, I doubt they would have survived without being separated.
Any suggestions how I should introduce the silkies?

 

[lurky]

I keep my silkies seperate.

 

[Happyhenz]

I keep my silkies seperate too.
I found the others tend tp pick on them too much

 

[rooster whisperer]

Wow,thanks for answering so quickly. I really appreciate it.
Maybe getting the silkies wasn't such a good idea. It was just that my son liked them so much, and I was told that they would be fine. I haven't got enough room to permanently keep them separate.
Any suggestions on how to help get accepted?

 

[lurky]

Ummmmm.....they could come live here

(kidding) DH would cull me

 

[usalbrechts]

I did the same thing. I have standards and added 1 silkie roo and 2 pullets. I kept them in a dog crate in the run for about a week. I would put them in the coop, in the crate, at night. Then after about a week, at night I put them in the coop. At first they didn't go in the coop to sleep at night, I had to pick them up out of the run and put them in the coop. After a few days they got the hang of it. They got picked on too and kind of keep to themselves, but it is all good now. They all get along. They are at the bottom of the pecking order (even the roo). The silkies are submissive to the others. I am glad we did it, they are my favorite chickens!!

 

[rooster whisperer]

Sure, I'd send them right over, except you are about 600 miles away.
I used to spend some time in your part of the country, climbing the White Face Mountains

 

[lurky]

You mean the white mountains? In NH? I'm too lazy to climb them, but i drive through them instead and take pitures