Is it ok to put a silkie in with my 5 ameraucanas

ChickenKid11

Chirping
8 Years
Aug 10, 2011
216
2
91
Hey I am kinda new to this but is it ok to put a silkie in with my 5 ameraucanas? Please let me know ASAP!
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Thanks A Lot!!!!
 
Only try it under supervised conditions. Even when raised with standard fowl, silkies are sometimes picked on. As a new strange looking bird introduced to an established flock, I think that she will be picked on.
 
Mine are fine. I have a small little bantam with my larger chickens and shes fine. So yes, its fine, unless the Ameraucanas start to bully the silkie (Note: they usually fight at first but they get used to eachother)
 
I used to have a silkie roo with my 6 EE hens. His name was Steve and he ruled the roost.

He went with the ambush approach at mating time, since the girls were 2X his size. DH called him a chubby chaser lol If they weren't "in the mood" they would just stand up, poor Steve trying to hold on and then falling off as the girls walked away.

Hens are a bit rougher to introduce, especially if it's a single lady. They tend to be rougher on the new girl, so just keep a close eye on them. I'd cage her where they can all see each other but not touch for a while. I also put them in the same roost at night and remove them in the morning. Gets them used to being around each other in a less stressful environment
 
Hey everybody Thanks I put them in last night (I Fell in love with both so I took Both) and this morning they were together in the nest box they wont come out please help!?!? Sorry I am new to this!!! And Again i need it ASAP!
Thanks!!!
 
How were they when you put them all together ? Did the big girls pick on the silkies ? Did the silkies run and hide in the nex boxes right away ?

I don't think they would have gone broody that quickly so I don't think they are broody unless they were broody at the sellers house. You did get two hens right ?
How old are they?
 
Quote:
Don't be sorry about being new to this. We were all new once anyway!
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I've raised a flock of silkies + non-silkies for years (I just can't resist a silkie or two
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). Most silkies just don't roost, and they prefer to huddle somewhere (usually the nest box) for the night. You see this behavior with new & introduced birds of other breeds, too - especially when they are younger. Many of my silkies slept in one nest box (for awhile, 4 of them crammed in there) for years. No one ever laid in there, but it was the silkies' favorite place to sleep. As long as they come out and eat and drink, it's totally fine for them to sleep there - a little more of a complication if you only have one nest box & it is full of silkies!

In my experience, after awhile, the docile standard breeds I raised (Delawares, Welsummers, EE's, BR's) just came to not "see" the silkies anymore, unless a silkie tried to sneak in and steal a tidbit from a dominant hen (in which case there'd be a peck) or something like that. There are sometimes incidents of picking on new silkies but they don't usually last b/c silkies are so submissive. My silkies (I have 3 in a flock of 14 birds) tend to run in their own crowd, and will mix in with the others or explore the fringes - but either way, the big birds just pay them no attention. I think if you just give your guys some time, they'll adjust & set about doing their silkie thing.
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