Silkie Housing Question

[Aunt Angus]

My new chicks are set to arrive this week (OHMYGOSHI'MSOEXCITED).

I've got a brooder set up in the coop for now. But my current coop set up for the big girls has ramps and lower roosting bars in anticipation of Silkies, but most people say their Silkies just pile on the floor.

Probably a dumb question, but do Silkies end up getting poop all over themselves? My girls now poop all night long. Were they to sleep on the floor, they'd be covered. Ew.

Should I just take a wait-and-see approach, or should I do something in preparation for when they are big enough to sleep with the big girls?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My silkies always roosted. The roosts need to start low and step up about 6 inches or so.

Are you planning to add silkies to standard breeds? Your silkies may get bullied.

 

[Aunt Angus]

My silkies always roosted. The roosts need to start low and step up about 6 inches or so.

Are you planning to add silkies to standard breeds? Your silkies may get bullied.

I'm going to try. If they get bullied, I will house them separately. I am not introducing only silkies in hopes that will help.

ETA: I'm beginning to doubt my choice, though. I hear mixed results. Some people have had typical integration issues, some disasters, and some no issues at all.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm going to try. If they get bullied, I will house them separately. I am not introducing only silkies in hopes that will help.

ETA: I'm beginning to doubt my choice, though. I hear mixed results. Some people have had typical integration issues, some disasters, and some no issues at all.

It does all depend on the set up and birds personalities. Smaller silkies with bigger crests should never be mixed Sith standards. Those with vaulted skulls should not be either. Bigger silkies with smaller crests can sometimes be fine in a mixed breed flock.

Smaller set ups will make things more difficult as crowded birds can be more moody.

See how it goes and have a back up plan.

 

[spoiledchickie]

My big girls made it very clear the new silkie group was not a welcomed addition. I ended up doing a separate run for the silkies and a polish and two larger girls that had a very low man on the totem pole personality who were also unwelcomed to the the big girl group. Now I am also raising Serama chicks so coop and run number three will be built ASAP as well. I just couldn’t risk the established big girls hurting the smaller ones.

My silkies won’t roost. They dog pile on the ground with the speckled Sussex that thinks she’s a silkie and the mild mannered Swedish flower and Polish roost above them. So far only one poop incident has occurred. Not sure how they manage to avoid it because they continue to choose to pile beneath the roost. Lol.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Should I just take a wait-and-see approach, or should I do something in preparation for when they are big enough to sleep with the big girls?

I suggest a wait and see approach. My broody hens nest with their chicks on the coop floor in the same spot every night. My juveniles often sleep in a group in the same spot on the coop floor for weeks on end, before they start to roost. There are no poop issues. One favorite place for the juveniles is right under the roosts.

If the poop does start to build up, toss a bit of scratch where they sleep. They will stir it up. Or if they sleep under the roosts and it is a problem, put in a droppings board.

Worry is interest paid before it is due.