Need Help with New Silkies

[MuskokaChick]

I have a 10x20 building and within it I have a room sectioned off with 11 red sex links...will have 24 all together by July. These hens are easy, no rooster, so I just collect their eggs in the a.m., then I let them out of the run for the day, all back in by evening...

Yesterday I got 3 silkies...I know NOTHING about them. They were bought at an auction by my neighbour who knew I was interested in getting a couple of Silkies. He got 3. 1 is a Rooster for sure( which, and the other two are smaller and look like hens...one has hardly a comb and the other has a little one....they are both about 1/2 the size of the Roo. I just got them last night and I have a billion questions and not finding them online when I do a search.

I have them in their own section of the coop...double the space they are required. I was told not to put them with the red stars as they would most likely kill the silkies. So here is my list of questions...and I would really appreciate any or all of them responded to

1. How do I know the one small one is not a rooster as well?

2. Do they perch at night? I put a perch up about a foot or less off the ground, but I read they don't fly and so do they sleep on the ground? I have two nests in there as well.

3. I am told they are laying eggs already, so obviously mature age, but because of the trauma I am assuming I won't get eggs till they get comfortable...is this true?

4. Because I have no clue about Roos, do I make sure I collect their eggs everyday so they don't get broody? My girls are WANTING chicks, but I don't know how to go about this? Do I leave the eggs and let nature take their course?

5. Can you control the number of eggs they hatch?

6. I have two nests in there and the rooster seems to go in quite a bit? Is this normal?

7. Anywhere online or good reading that would teach me all of this?

 

[MuskokaChick]

oh...I forgot

I let my 11 redstars out of the run to free range...can and when can I let the silkies out? Will the red stars hurt them while out in the yard?

thanks!

 

[Jeevesrules]

1. A rooster will have a larger comb and wattles than the hens, thought on silkies this is hard to see because of the abundance of feathers on their head

also a rooster will have a claw on the back of his leg above his back to, I understand that this alsois hard to see so you may have to pick them up, which shouldn't be too much of a problem

2. They will perch at night if they can reach the perch. Chickens can jump to a considerable height, and their feathers only help them to jump Higher, and not to fly. If you plac all your perches less than two feet off the ground the will be able to perch on them

3.Yes I Think this is true. When I got my point of lay hens they did not lay for a few days after moving them to their new home. Silkies will lay smallish creamy eggs.

4. Silkies have an outstanding urge to constantly go broody. Taking their eggs out everyday will deter them but sometime or later they will probably go broody on an empty nest. If you decide you want little baby chicks just leave the eggs in the nest until your hen goes broody. Once she has gone broody leave her in the nest overnight to see if she is properly broody. If she sleeps on the eggs and not where she usually sleeps she is broody. At this point you can choose whiter to separate her so she is not disturbed by the other hens or you could just leave her. From the point she starts to set on the eggs the will begin o slowly develop. It will take approximately 21 days for them to develop and then hatch. You don't need to do anything until they hatch. If you decide to do this, because its your first time it is advisable to research keeping baby chicks a little. A good place to do this is Backyard chickens!!


5. The only control you have is the maximum that might hatch and that is by only letting her set on a certain number of eggs, most of the time it will be lower that this but sometime very rarely there are twins or even triplets, but they often don't survive

6. I'm sorry but I have no idea on this one

7. Google it, backyard chickens forum section incubating and htching eggs, and caring for baby chicks, there are loads of chicken based forums out there.

8. It is beat to slowly introduce two flocks of chickens, put a barrier up that the chickens can see through but cant get throughout, after a few days you can merge them, but you will have to supervise as they wil be sorting out their pecking order at this point, and some mild violence can occur. If you have two roosters they will probably fight to begin with.


Hope this helps.

 

[MuskokaChick]

Thank you so much!

I don't want my Silkie Rooster to mate with the Red Stars...at first I assumed because he was that much smaller he might not, but from what i read...it is likely...

Thanks again...

 

[Jeevesrules]

If you are wanting to breed pure breeds you cannot have two breeds merged. If you merge them your bigger rooster will stop the other rooster from mating (he will still mount but not as much), and your lead roo will mount all the hens.