So... A few questions for those who have owned Silkies before... There was a mix up at the hardware store where I got them and I ended up with 13 Silky Bantams and 1 Barred Rock, will this full size bird pick on my bantams? They are only about a month old and the Barred Rock towers over them... Second question: What size plastic leg bands will fit them when they are full grown? Third question: An other woops on from the hardware shop, my chicks were ordered straight run... some of them already are acting/ are showing signs of being roosters... can multiple roosters be kept together?
Your Barred Rock will be just fine in there, especially if they are raised together. I don't know about bands. Silkie boys often get along together, especially if raised together. I'd not worry for now. However, if you have more than one rooster per 5 hens with silkies, that may be too many boys and they may overmate the hens. But you are a long way from having to worry about that if they are only a month old. Some people make a cockerel pen (a bachelor pad) if they want to keep a LOT of roosters permanently.
silkies are difficult to sex before 4-5 mos. old. There are numerous dedicated silkie threads on BYC. One of my favorites is The Silkie Thread - if you put that in the search box it should pop up and you could subscribe to it. The silkie people are really the best ones to ask breed specific questions.
Raised together, full sized birds and silkies should get along just fine. Although the roosters may get along fine, too many roosters in the flock is not a good idea.
