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AllenK RGV said:
I wholeheartedly agree with getting the coop done now. You are going to love chicken TV as well. I personally think a Silkie rooster isn't the best choice as I rate my roosters on a scale:
1) Defends his hens dying for them if needed to protect them 2) treats the girls right by finding them treats 3) Doesn't over mate or harm a single hen.

My 3 mature boys fail at #1 on my list so they have an expiration date in our flock. During winters we have loads of avian predators here and a free ranging flock on 1 fenced in acre I need a rooster that calls alarms in the middle of the yard telling those hawks to come and get it vs. my silkies calling alarms once safe and under cover.

Are you going to incubate or order your initial stock? If you plan on brooding up your first chicken researching the MHP here on BYC is very much worth the time. Additionally, please let us know a general location in your profile even just the State or country is enough if it isn't the size of Alaska. I'm sure if you live in upstate New York you aren't going to trust someone from Miami giving you gardening advice! Once again Welcome to BYC!:frow

Here is where to find that on the web browser version of this site:
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What Rooster would you suggest? i am afraid a bigger rooster will hurt the silkie bantams
 
Dandiesandy said:
What Rooster would you suggest? i am afraid a bigger rooster will hurt the silkie bantams
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Probably any rooster that is raised with an established flock or gets picked on by the elder ladies and has to earn his way into their good graces. I have had horrible luck with my Black Sumatra getting out of line with humans when they are raised along side of a new flock. I'm betting an Old English Game Bantam would be a good fit for size and temperament. There are so many other breeds to choose from and naturally do not trash your Silkie roosters just yet they will probably learn to become better roosters by a good example as they will always be trying to work their way back up the hierarchy.

Now that we finally have an established flock it is time for us to introduce a juvenile brood of Black and Blue straight run Sumatra into our mix next month. The older Silkie roos/hens will teach the younger ones the importance/norm of avoiding violating human spaces.
 
Dandiesandy said:
What Rooster would you suggest? i am afraid a bigger rooster will hurt the silkie bantams
Click to expand...
Dandiesandy said:
What Rooster would you suggest? i am afraid a bigger rooster will hurt the silkie bantams
Click to expand...
I plan to order my first stock, I have also wondered if they are not sexed I may end up with roo's I don't want. It's all such a learning process and I want to know all I can before I start my flock next spring. My plan now is to get coop, run, brooder and initial need supplies. The supplies needed to start is racking my brain. I need a list! lol
 
DobieLover said:
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
Design your coop to provide LOTS of ventilation, 4 sq ft per bird in floor space (not including the nest boxes), 1 nest box for every 4-6 birds and shoot for 11 linear inches minimum of roost space.
Walk in style coop and run... poop boards :bow.
15 sq ft per bird in the run.
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Thank you so much for your advice!
 

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