Question about mixed flock

[Lisa202]

Quote:
I really hope my new silkies don't get picked on when I do integrate them. One good thing is that I already have brahmas and 1 cochin, so mine are used to furry feet. But they are not used to a furry head.

I have a broody sitting on some eggs. She went broody on Monday and her eggs should hatch around April 4th and that's when the silkie babies are coming, so I hope to stick them under her and let them integrate that way. I am concerned about the broody mommy though...she's not very high on on the pecking order, so I don't know how strong she will be in protecting her babies. Yes, I know that they get more protective, but she's such a sweetie, I can pet her and pick her up off her nest with barely a little growl (actually sounds like a purr to me).

How can you tell if it's not working?...if the babies aren't accepted by the mommy or if they aren't being protected enough.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
I really hope my new silkies don't get picked on when I do integrate them. One good thing is that I already have brahmas and 1 cochin, so mine are used to furry feet. But they are not used to a furry head.

I have a broody sitting on some eggs. She went broody on Monday and her eggs should hatch around April 4th and that's when the silkie babies are coming, so I hope to stick them under her and let them integrate that way. I am concerned about the broody mommy though...she's not very high on on the pecking order, so I don't know how strong she will be in protecting her babies. Yes, I know that they get more protective, but she's such a sweetie, I can pet her and pick her up off her nest with barely a little growl (actually sounds like a purr to me).

How can you tell if it's not working?...if the babies aren't accepted by the mommy or if they aren't being protected enough.

Unfortunately, the other hens will kill the babies. Is there somewhere that you can seperate the momma hen and her babies at least until they are big enough to not be killed by a single peck? I usually put broodies in a big dog crate...

 

[Lisa202]

I have a separate smaller coop (good for 3 to 4 chickens) that I could put them in that is next to the big girls run so that they will be seen everyday. Though, I read somewhere that this set up doesn't guarantee that they will be accepted after the merge (yes, I watch Survivor).

How old do you think they should be when I put them in with the bigger chickens in order to protect themselves?

I also read, on this forum, that they had a little area (like a separate cage within the coop/run) that the little ones could run into for safety. (the bigger girls wouldn't be able to fit through the door) .

Why do chickens have to be so mean?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Yeah, once they are big enough to be "afraid" of the other girls, they could run into something / under something for safety. Personally, I don't ever let young birds live with the adult flocks. I take chicks away from their mommas and raise them in brooders (gets the mommas back to laying faster too) and then house them seperately until they are close to POL to avoid all of this...

 

[CCourson05]

I let my silkies raise chicks in the pen...I think that the other silkies and the roo protect and raise their babies better than I could. I let nature have its way, when it comes to them..

 

[happymom99]

I found someone in my area who sells silkies and mille fleur d'uccles but she said she can't sex them until they are about 6 weeks old. She said I could buy my day-old standard hen chicks and raise them at home and she will raise the banties to six weeks old and then I can introduce them at that time. I have gotten a couple of comments here that I need to raise the banties with the standards to help them not get picked on but I can't really do that since I can't have the bantams sexed when they're that young.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

CJ

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
I'd be surprised if she can accurately sex the silkies that young, and if she can't tell by comb size/color on the d'uccles by the time they're about 2-3 weeks, she doesn't know what she'd doing...IMO.

 

[kera!]

my aunt raisses them all together they are fine i would get extra and when you get them big enough just give away the roos

 

[happymom99]

Quote:
I'd be surprised if she can accurately sex the silkies that young, and if she can't tell by comb size/color on the d'uccles by the time they're about 2-3 weeks, she doesn't know what she'd doing...IMO.

She said the silkies are tough to sex and the earliest she could sex them is six weeks. She can sex the d'uccles earlier but I would just get the d'uccle at the same time as the silkie so they could be raised together and, hopefully, be buddies.

 

[happymom99]

kera! :

my aunt raisses them all together they are fine i would get extra and when you get them big enough just give away the roos

Encouraging to hear that they get along.

As for giving away roos, I wouldn't have the first idea of who to give them to in my area. I just have to hope she gets it right when she sexes them and I get a girl. If she makes a mistake and it is a roo she will take him back and I can get a different one but then I've kind of lost out on the whole thing of having another bantam that was raised with the silky so they can buddy up.​