Questions on silkies, how fragile if at all are they?

[TrixiePA]

I put the rest of the babies that came together, EE's, RIR, Australorps out last week at 4 1/2 weeks b/c they were feathered and it was consistent warm...

But I kept the same age silkies in because they just looked so fragile. They were also smaller and I was just worried that it wasn't warm enough, esp at night.

So now I need to get them out, but it's been raining and I'm worried about them getting chilled. But if I wait too long I'll have more serious issues with integrating them, right?

SO my question is are the silkies just more fragile? or is this just a perception I'm having b/c of the feathers being softer, etc? How do they usually act when integrated? They were all fine in the brooder together...

Wondering if holding them back has been a mistake? Can someone tell me their about their nature.

Thanks. Tracy

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Because silkies are usually so docile I never mix silkies with standards. They are always at the bottom of the pecking order it seems and I can't stand to watch the beauties get pecked at all the time

ALthough I know several here who do have them mixed with their flock and if they were raised together shouldn't be a prob. But I would not wait long. Do you have shelter for them to all go in. They will naturally get out of the rain on their own if they have it available. Mine always do.

 

[TXmom]

I put all of mine outside at the same time, including the Silkies, and everybody was fine. But, if it's raining and cold there, then maybe you should go ahead and wait until the weather is a little better...the rain doesn't roll off of their feathers like the other birds.

It was actually cold and rainy here a few days after I put them all outside, but I locked them all in the coop with a heat lamp for few days until it warmed up a bit. It had the added benefit of teaching them all where they were supposed to sleep.

 

[TrixiePA]

Thanks for those answers. My plan was to put them in a large enclosed dog crate in the coop to get everyone acclamated etc... then let them out in a week to see how they all do.

I am getting one of AHappyChicks coops and thought eventually I'm move them and the d'uccles into there, closer to the house where I could run an extension cord for wintertime heat lamping if needed.

These really are unique birds. I mean they even have their own unique trilling.

But I really really want my dining room table back. LOL it's been almost 2 months we've been eating standing up at the kitchen counter. Kids sit but only chairs for 3, we are a family of 5.

T

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Sounds like you have a smart plan

You will have to share pics now

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

As a whole I don't find silkies to be any more fragile than other breeds. My silkies, as a rule integrate well into whatever group of birds I put them with. I do think that if birds only ever see others who are nearly identical are less likely to accept those who look different. Since my layer flock is a mix of feedstore birds of several breeds and silkie crossed They are used to seeing birds who look like just about everything. I have a small silkie hen who insists that she is top of the flock, and will terrorize any bird who might even appear to think differently.