Intruducing silkies to a flock

[sophiesflock]

Hi! I am getting my first chicks in September; 2 buff orpingtons, 2 welsummers and 2 easter eggers. I also really want to get 2 or 3 silkies but since it's so late in the season and I live in Canada there's nowhere to get them until spring. I'm thinking of getting them in spring and Intruducing them to the flock then but I've heard it can be hard to do that with birds that are smaller and funny looking (like silkies). Do you think I could make it work? Thanks for any advice!

 

[nchls school]

Hi! I am getting my first chicks in September; 2 buff orpingtons, 2 welsummers and 2 easter eggers. I also really want to get 2 or 3 silkies but since it's so late in the season and I live in Canada there's nowhere to get them until spring. I'm thinking of getting them in spring and Intruducing them to the flock then but I've heard it can be hard to do that with birds that are smaller and funny looking (like silkies). Do you think I could make it work? Thanks for any advice!

Silkies are quite docile to handle. They are also quite aggressive to other chickens. I believe you would find this an easier endeavor than you think. One of my broody silkies was so ferocious in protecting her chicks that it took a number of weeks for the cuts and bruises to heal on my arms and hands. From this I learned to keep my hands to myself or wear gloves.

 

[mirandap]

I got a silky as a gift, i had just 2 rhode island reds at the time. i kept the silky in a wire dog crate in the coop so the reds could see her but she was safe. i kept her in there for 2 months then allowed them to share an outside dog kennel. the silky would hide under the dog house. after weeks of doing this they began to let her come out.3 months after i had originally got the silky i let her be in the coop with out the dog crate.... they plucked her! after they plucked her back feathers and head she did not want to be without them.. i know strange right.i kept ointment on her back at all times. I would put her in the crate and she would cry and the first chance she got she was right under the reds. i thought if i got her a friend the reds would stop so i got 3 silkie chicks bad idea! the reds killed all 3 as soon as dem babies were let out of the dog crate. so i got a full grown naked neck showgirl and another red. the silky wanted nothing to do with the showgirl! she always stuck with those reds.she lived with the reds for a year then died. when she died she hardly had any feathers left. but every time i separated them she always got out and went back. the 2 reds have not picked on the showgirl as much, the showgirls friend that came with her keep my other reds at bay.
i found d' uccle have a similar look to silks but the reds don't tear him up. i have also found if you get more new birds than your current flock it lessens the amount the others pick on the new bird.
i have also found the older silky's do better than the babies when adding them to the flock.

now my flock has 3 reds, a showgirl, a mille fleur d'uccle rooster, 4 silkies hens, silkie roo, a welsummer chick and a turken...

the a mille fleur d'uccle rooster, 4 silkies hens, silkie roo, were all full grown when i got them this spring.... then the welsummer and turken were chicks that were raised together.