One mean Silkie Bantam pecking at 5 new chicks. Will she ever play nice?

BBQNuggets

Chirping
5 Years
Feb 19, 2014
25
0
57
Castle Rock, CO


After a predator attack a couple of weeks ago, we were life with only one hen, a mean silkie bantam. She seriously hates everyone, but she got along fine with the hens we used to have.
We just added 5 8-week old pullets, and we kept them separate for the whole first week using the playpen method (look but don't touch). Today I tried to let them interact a bit to see how the Silkie would do, but the first thing she did was start chasing the chicks and pecking at them.
Will she ever get used to them and play nice? Or does she have to go?
 
The optimal time for integration is about 16 weeks. You can get away with it before this depending on the personality of the older hen(s).

If you want to keep your silkie hen, just give her more time. You can keep her separated during this time. The younger ones are a bit too young to really stand up for themselves yet. So you would do best to keep her separated a bit longer and retry when you think the time is right- just observe carefully each time you try.
 

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