JAIL TIME QUESTION ~ Update on Intergration...HELP PLEASE

[m2wandc]

Well we have been putting the silkie chicks in a dog crate inside the coop during the days...and the big girls don't seem to mind them at all...

HOWEVER, when we tried to have them run free together, the barred rock would chase the silkies endlessly and peck at them until they found a good enough hiding spot that only a small chicken could get into...but the second they came out, the barred rock would run across and chase and peck again until the silkies went back into hiding...

....I'm currently looking for a new home for the silkie pair, but it's going to be tough, I'm pretty sure one is a roo and one is a pullet...and they are IN LOVE with each other...cuddle up and adore one another...I can't imagine separating them...or letting the roo go to a hungry home...

Any ideas?

 

[m2wandc]

Should I try putting the silkies in the coop at 4:30am (still dark, but not long until dawn) and then see if the barred rock is nicer...there isn't a hiding spot in the coop, so if the BR chases, she'll be able to peck the silkies to death

??????????????????

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
get rid of barred rock? I had that issue with a gorgeous white frizzle-he beat up my new additions while the others left them alone-I gave him to my friend..sad but needed-

 

[onthespot]

Put a piece of plywood up on bricks so the silkies can go under easily and the barred rock can't. Give them food and water under there. Put the barred rock in the dog cage for a week or so and any other bird that is mean to them. Let the silkies out and after they learn the coop and their way around, let the others out, one a day. If they act okay, next day add another, least mean one. If it is mean, put it back for another day... try that and maybe you can keep your birds. Just putting them in a crate in the coop is not enough of an introduction. The silkies have to be introduced to the coop itself, the structure, the layout, the footing, the hiding spots so they feel comfortable in their surroundings and can act confident.

 

[sunnibunny99]

Im going through the same thing, to silkies, ones a boy, they love each other...

Were going to TRY to integrate them... But the problem is, we have 14 older chickens (One layed today DDD ) And we have two roosters in the older flock...


Im afraid the older roosters are gonna KILL buffy

Its scary, but were just hinking about making a new coop...

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Sounds like an excellent plan to me.

 

[sojeo]

Making a new coop is not an option for us, we don't even have the first one done completely yet. I have been wondering how things are going to turn out in the end with my 5 batches of chicks. The four oldest RSL from the feed store are about 2 months old and they freerange all day. I have 3 three week old mutts that I hatched out, 8 Leghorns my daughter's class hatched out that are 3 days younger than my mutts and 2 barred rocks that are only 2 weeks old and 5 eggs in the bator. We have the little ones in a big screened brooder in the coop. I have been putting them in an outdoor pen during the day and if I'm not busy, will open the door and let them out to explore. All things ok, big girls pretty much ignore them during the day since they have 1 1/2 acres plus to roam.

Today I raised the screen door of their brooder 3 inches off the floor so that they can go in and out as they please. They were already getting used to the coop on rainy days when the big girls were out. They are able to come and go as they please out the pop door as well, but they stay pretty close, either around the coop or around their pen.

I have one big girl ( might be a guy!) that chases and pecks them as soon as they get close. I'm hoping that with time they will just mostly ignore the smaller ones. The 3 different groups of brooder chicks also tend to stay within their own groups as well. Funny thing is that at night, sometimes the big ones sleep right up against the screen of the brooder and will allow the little ones to cuddle up right beside them, feathers touching and everything. Mighty different story without the screen between them! I'm curious behind the reasoning of it.

If things get really bad, I will have to resort to the dog crate idea, but hopefully I won't have to do it. Please keep us updated with what ends up working for you, I may need some help!

So Jeo

Nova Scotia

 

[farmin'chick]

Ya know...maybe it's some strains of barred rock chicks? ALL my barred rocks are way meaner than my rhodies or my GC's, who are all Roos! The RIR's were 10 days older than the BR's, who were 3 days old when I got them...and the BR's pecked and picked at the RIR's from day 1.

If it's one Barred Rock, I'd get rid of him or her.

 

[m2wandc]

I have 4 birds total...got them in two batches...

1 barred rock & 1 buff orpinton

and then 2 weeks later I got 2 silkies...

both pairs are true buddies and I wouldn't want to separate them...ugh

***

Here is what I have done for tonight...I took a dog crate that would fit a medium sized dog, filled it with shavings and some food...and put it IN the coop and put the silkies in it...so they are going to have their first night OUTSIDE in the coop with the others tonight...

During the day, they spend their day in a LARGE dog crate that would fit a very large dog...in the run with the other birds...

So two are in and two are out...and I am guessing later when everyone is full grown I will have to do free ranging 'shifts' if they don't work it out...

I'm going to try some of the suggestions you've given...and hope for the best, because the dog crate transfer every morning and night, is a tad bit more then I bargained for...I was thinking more of open door in the am, close door at night...

Either that HOPE someone wants the silkies...(I think one is a roo...pretty sure...so that adds to the difficulty of finding them a good home)

If Rocky gets sassy or aggressive to me...then she'd go FAST!!! LOL But so far she's pretty cool to me and the buff orpington ROCKS!!! I love Buffy, she's WAY COOL and exactly what I dreamed of when I took on this adventure!!! (The silkies don't have names, because I'm not sure of gender yet???)

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I also have my pullets in a dog crate in the coop. It has a tarp over it held down by rocks so it keeps the rain out. I'm planning to turn them loose in a few days.

It sounds like you know what you're doing.