New chicken momma from Tulsa!!

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Hello Cassie, and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
Definitely reconsider the single Silkie going into a flock with normally feathered birds. They are very often ostracized.
You asked about how to keep them safe. They need a very well ventilated coop with 1/2" hardware cloth covering all openings so there are no openings larger than 1/2" and in your climate, consider building an open air design with one or two walls completely hardware cloth over the framing.
They also need a secure run to spend outdoor time in that the dog and other predators cannot gain access to. Putting a net over it to keep out aerial predators would be a good idea.
 
Glad to meet you, Cassie. Welcome to Back Yard Chickens. Best wishes with your flock and all your plans. I am so sorry you lost that one white bird. :hugs

Here is an article on improving safety for birds, and another on introducing dogs to birds. Some dogs will learn to leave the birds alone, but some dogs have such a high prey drive that you will never be able to trust them around the birds, so be ready for that. But you can certainly work hard on training that dog and hope it will take. I have one dog who will be OK with the chickens and quail and another who just cannot leave my quail cages alone.
 
In case you want it, here is a link to our coop section, which also links you to our Learning Center. You can find articles there, or you can use the SEARCH button and choose articles in the results. And here is a charming article on coop ventilation which includes a bunch of helpful links to articles about different coop styles. The author talks about the style of coop that works best for different climates which is very helpful for newbies like us.
 

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