Need Chicken Counseling!!

[Jennieschicks]

I am new at this. I have a polish and an easter egger pullet, both about 13 weeks and they are the best of friends. I feel like I need to add to my"flock" before winter comes. I have an opportunity to adopt 3 beautiful show girls, one silkie, one Japanese Bantam and one EE bantam. Gorgeous chicks, all about 6 or so months old (all laying) My husband was always opposed to bantams due to the small egg size, but our chickens are also pets for us (and kids) and they sure are cute! My goal is, ultimately, to add a few friendly breeds of hen that are good layers... a maybe an orpington or two and/or a barred rock. It would be easy for me to go nuts here and end up with too many chickens!

My coop is 12' x 6' for the run and a house built on top of it which is about 5 1/2' x 4' with lots of roosting space. I let my chickens out in the yard to forage frequently but there is no fence. They are always attended when out in the yard and they don't seem to go far.

If I bring home the silkie and the 2 bantams, will they need special winter accomodations? I heard silkies don't roost so will she freeze to death being alone on the floor? Is it even ok to have only one silkie in a flock? (I was kind of wondering if she and the polish might become friends)

Would I be bettter off ordering a few day old pullets (LF) from My Pet Chicken, and get them incorporated into the flock before winter comes?

In a perfect world, I'd take the bantams, silkies and get some more LF as well...but I don't want them to be over crowded. I'd love any thoughts any more experienced chicken-people have.

Thanks a lot!!

 

[Peepsicle]

You should definantly get a Barred Rock and Buff Orpington, and maybe a Rhode Island Red. That's what my family has. They all make great pets and great layers. We absoluotley love them

The Barred rock pullet Is the chicken in my avatar. Go to my profile to see more pics of the pullets and my little roo. The pullets are all 6 weeks od but the cockerel in only 5. The Buff is Sunny, the Barred Rock pullet is Lady Lacey and the cockerel is Speckles, and the Rhode Island Red is Peep.

 

[MySuburbanLife]

I have 2 silkies, and they do roost-- but my roosting posts are only 2 1/2 feet off the ground and I put a little mini-step in front of it to give them a help up there.

In my flock, my two silkies are always together. There's no aggression toward them from the other pullets... they just seem to like being together! I don't know if a Polish and a silkie will get along as well as a pair of silkies. Maybe someone else can give you some advice on that.

I highly recommend buff orpingtons and barred rocks as friendly birds-- just today I knelt down in my coop and within seconds both of my orpingtons were on my lap ready for their chickie snuggles. My two barred rocks are smarties and always run right over to me in case I have treats in my pockets! Both breeds have been very good with my small children, too.

Good luck putting your flock together!