My EE's don't like my silkies

[pattgal]

Is it normal for two breeds not to get along especially when they have grown up together?
My EE roo is picking on my little silkie hens. More than I am comfortable with. I had originally got them to hatch eggs for me so giving them away is not an option
they are so small. So far All I can see is I will have to put them in the little breeding coop we were gonna build. but now they will have to live there by themselves
im gonna have to put them in the dog kennel for now but how long can I keep this up? Its gonna be awhile until we can finish that coop.

 

[Ibicella]

Roos in general can get rough with the ladies.

Try getting some Pinless Peepers to fit on the Roo. They are blinders for chickens that help with cases of aggressive chickens picking too much on others by making it hard for them to see them, but they are still able to walk, hunt, and peck around normally.

 

[Organics North]

You say the grew up together?
Hmmm. Other issues? Space? boredom?

I just introduced a silkie pullet to mature EE hens, Ameraucana pullets and Marans pullets and the two cockerels. After two days I was comfortable to let the little silkie out of the cage 100% of the time and just be with the flock..

My birds free range during so? Maybe that is why it works for me?

ON

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I do think LF will tend to pick on smaller birds...but I have 3 silkies that free range and coop with my LF girls (and a light brahma roo) and they pretty much get along fine. I yell at the girls if I see them pick at one of the silkies and they generally walk away.

 

[pattgal]

i should probably mention that they are all banties but the silkies are only half the EE's size
i free range them when i am home and it goes well when i do, but as soon as bedtime comes he is at it again
i thought at first he was just trying to do his thing, but he never actually got on them and they were totally submissive

im wondering if its not one of them "in the wild" things where the weaker animals of a pack or flock gets picked off or rejected. or maybe he can't physically do his thing because their buts can't line up and see's them as useless
i can separate them for a little while, but i need a better solution than to keep them in the dog kennel for (possibly) months

 

[PortugalBreeder]

Please post a picture of your pen, I'm sure I will be able to tell you what's happening.

 

[pattgal]

Ok, I'm not sure I follow but here goes. Since I don't know where you are going with this I took a shot of every component. there aren't many, lol
the whole coop is about 6x10. the water is outside in a bucket for now until we figure something out

the nest boxes

the upper and lower roost's

the feeder with the guilty rooster in the picture

the two victims

the run

 

[PortugalBreeder]

Ok, I think it is what I suspected, at least by the pictures the pen looks too small, eventually territorial fights would have to appear, it's not small in volume, but in ground area/bird ratio!
I think if you extend your outside fence they will get less stressed and fights will end.

The rooster is not guilty he is just doing what their instincts tell him to do. ....I know it was a joke

 

[pattgal]

So if I only expand the run, what happens in the winter when everyone gets locked up?

 

[PortugalBreeder]

Quote:
Yes, that is a problem.
Well if I were in your situation I would try to create a multilevel pen, with stairs or ramps or whatever, so that you transform your volume in ground surface, but you need to be careful and make something stable and easy to access for the chickens, or they will end up death or not even go in there, this way when they get pecked (if they get) they will go and run far from the danger.

Or you can create an indoor suspended pen for you bantams, since they are silkies they bear confinement well. And you will be able to have some nice protected place to put them incubating some eggs as they are known for they broodiness and incubation skills.

But above all the conclusion you should get is to made a basic calculation knowing that 4 square feet per bird inside coop space is the standard requirements so you always know the maximum birds you should get, before you get to buy.