Silkie roosting help

[black_cat]

I have read that silkies cannot fly up to a roost (which makes sense) and will often get pooped on when in a mixed flock. Could this issue be either solved by
A) having a ramp going up to a roost. Would the silkie still want to roost/use the ramp?
or, B) Setting aside an area for the silkie to sleep. This would be setup the same way as roost training, with me placing the other chickens on their roosts and my silkie in her spot. If that wouldn't work, are there other methods of training that would?

 

[black_cat]

Some more information: This would be in a 7x7 coop with 5 other hens, and 7 external nesting boxes. Probably adding 6 more hens in the future. There would only be one silkie, and the others would be standard size birds. I know that chickens are not supposed to sleep in their nesting boxes, but maybe I could train the silkie to go in one of those? I would have 7 nesting boxes for a max of 12 birds, so I can't imagine that they'd use all of them.

 

[black_cat]

I am currently planning a coop build and would like to get a silkie, as I know that they are large enough to be kept with large fowl if raised together. I'd like to plan in some accommodations for a silkie, but I'd like to know if there are ways to prevent her from getting pooped all over.

 

[black_cat]

If anyone has ever had silkies in a mixed flock I would really appreciate your input.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

I have a ramp and mine used it to go and roost. I also have two that prefer to huddle together on the floor in a corner. Mine can fly up 2 or 3 feet but they do rather like to climb the ladder to roost. Some fly down and some walk back down.

 

[black_cat]

I have a ramp and mine used it to go and roost. I also have two that prefer to huddle together on the floor in a corner. Mine can fly up 2 or 3 feet but they do rather like to climb the ladder to roost. Some fly down and some walk back down.

Thanks so much for the help! I was really concerned that I would end up with a silkie covered in poop! Do you think that if I roost trained all of mine together the silkie would figure it out and use the ramp? Or are they sometimes just really determined to sleep on the ground?

 

[drmolarmagic]

Hi,
I just put the nesting boxes on the floor and they can go in and out on ground level....works very well for them

 

[black_cat]

Hi,
I just put the nesting boxes on the floor and they can go in and out on ground level....works very well for them

Ok, thank you! My nesting boxes would be at ground level, but extending outward from the rest of the coop as a separate part. I'd really prefer to have them roosting though...I don't want poopy eggs.

 

[Rooapalooza]

It depends on the bird. I wouldn't let them sleep in a nest box because they do a lot of pooping at night, and you don't want them sleeping in their poop.
I have one silkie who does fine with ladder style perches. The lowest one is probably about a foot and a half off the ground. She hops onto it and then hops up to the next one until she's on the three foot tall perch with the other ladies. Sometimes she misses and then she'll come find me and stand on my foot until I put her up on the perch. It's really cute.
I have another silkie who doesn't try with the big girl perches, but prefers if there is a board/branch on the ground for her to sleep on. I have to pick her up nightly and put her with the other birds, because I don't like her on the ground.

 

[black_cat]

It depends on the bird. I wouldn't let them sleep in a nest box because they do a lot of pooping at night, and you don't want them sleeping in their poop.
I have one silkie who does fine with ladder style perches. The lowest one is probably about a foot and a half off the ground. She hops onto it and then hops up to the next one until she's on the three foot tall perch with the other ladies. Sometimes she misses and then she'll come find me and stand on my foot until I put her up on the perch. It's really cute.
I have another silkie who doesn't try with the big girl perches, but prefers if there is a board/branch on the ground for her to sleep on. I have to pick her up nightly and put her with the other birds, because I don't like her on the ground.

Ok, thank you! I think that I will build a ramp to the roosts (mine will both be the same height) so I can avoid poop problems.