new with chickens

[Marie50106]

Hello everyone I am not sure if I am at the right place, i would need some information on Silky chickens I just bought 5 silky chickens 3 are 8 months old and 2 are 2 months old.I was supposed to have 4 hens and one ruster, but to my surprise one of the 2 month olds is a ruster, is there any way for them to be all toghter without the male baby being killed by the ruster.
and I also have 7 brown hens can they be with the silkies.help, help, help.

 

[Criskin]

Honestly it depends on the individual chickens. I don't have silkies but I have a year old rooster and several hens running with a bunch of three month olds, pullets and cockerels. They have been together since the little ones were around 2 months old with no problems. Of course, they have a lot of room and the adult rooster is a fairly laid back guy and only gets mean when he is breaking up a fight. I know people who do keep their silkies with full sized chickens and don't have problems. Just watch carefully when you introduce them. There will be some fighting as they work out the pecking order, but as long as it doesn't get too violent or last too long, you should be okay. In my experience, though, hens are more likely to pick on new chickens than roosters. My young roosters tend to realize they don't stand a chance against the big guy so everyone gets along fine.

 

[Smoochie]

The rusters might get along but the hens may get over serviced..

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Hello,

 

[Marie50106]

Thanks for your reply, but my silkies were seperated by a fence for 2 weaks now and my brown hens could see them close up with only nthe fence seperating them, so this weak end I let them out in the inclosure outside and the hens attacked the ruster pretty roughly they were standing on his back and pecking him really aggressively he was not defending himself at all and he only crouched down and took the beating so took the brown hens off him and put him back where he was safe and meanwhile the 2 little silky hens just froze and were hiding in back of a peace of wood,and i put them back to safety too,I think that the silky chickens dont defend themselves or mabye 8 months is too young to leave with adult hens.
I dont want them to get hurt but it would be nicer if i wouldnt have to seperate the coop in 2, I wish that someone could give me a solution for my problem.

 

[Marie50106]

no for now the ruster gets beat up and the brown hens are the boss,I dont dare leave them with my brown hens I think they would kill my silkies.

 

[Smoochie]

Look at *below* post.. much better than my advice.

 

[hdowden]

they have to establish a pecking order which means when you introduce new chickens to an established flock be it roosters or hens they will get chased and they will get pecked at no matter what its part of the flocks dynamics. i just put in three 4 month old chicks with 14 7-8 month olds and they did get pecked at a bit and chased around but they have to learn their place in the flock which at the moment is at the bottom of the pecking order. there is not much you can do about that but let them sort it out themselves and giving the new additions a place to hide that they can only fit into. only seperate them if the new ones are being attacked very badly, give them at least 30 mins min unless blood is being drawn but it can take up to a whole day or longer for them to be accepted into the flock and until then just watch them and see how they interact

 

[Marie50106]

Thank you for the advice but these silkies look so fragile beside these big brown chickens, this weak end I will try again and leave them all together but I cant stay 30 minutes like you suggest because seeing this poor ruster getting plucked by these old hens.
so if this doesnt work I will take Smoochies advice by leaving them seperated and I will try again in spring when I let them loose outside.So thanks everyone for sharing your great experience with chickens,I think I am better with making soap then raising chickens, but its still a lot of fun to have chickens.bye now.

 

[Marie50106]

hello thanks for the welcome