Silkies with full size birds?

[dnowa1975]

Hello~

I have only posted a few times tho I have been reading for over a year. I am in the process of planning a new larger coop and right now I have 3 silkies I got last fall, 2 hens and a millie fluer/silkie cross roo in a temporary home. I was wondering if these birds will be ok in the same larger coop with all of the other girls......3 banties and about 15 full size hens.

Thanks

 

[CCourson05]

In my experience, it didn't work out. But that is merely me... I have read that they will get along just fine... But mine did not, and now they live separately.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i've seen folks post that they keep their bantams with their standards. i wouldn't do that, especially with silkies. With their sensitive skulls and large crests (obstructing their view), i feel it would put them in too much danger. One peck on the head could kill them, and if all their pen-mates are towering over their heads, it seems like a recipe for disaster . . . to me.

 

[CCourson05]

My silkies were white and they had beautiful foot feathers... Then, the big hens noticed. They completely plucked one girl's foot clean of feathers, and they were all bleeding. That one poor hen still has no foot feathers. They are trying to come back now though.

 

[chkinut]

i had one silkie with 4 LF girls and they went through chick-hood and adolescence together without a problem (the silkie was 2 weeks younger). well, one day, the LF girls decided "hey, you're different....so...PECK PECK PECK!!!" and my poor lil silkie hid for 2 days and wouldn't come out to eat or drink, so i gave her away to a friend who has 5 acres. and now (i've recently visited her) she has a LF boyfriend and she hatched out 5 babies! so...go figure! maybe its the LF girls who didn't like her cuz she was so pretty!!

 

[bgelber]

I have silkies with the larger girls and they get along just fine. In the pecking order Mary, my silkie, is close to the top of that order.

 

[JulieNKC]

My girls are all together. They seem to keep themselves seperated into a big girl flock and a lil girl flock. Occasionally my poor BO who is at the bottom of the pecking order of the big girls hangs out with the little ones, think it boosts her ego. And my silkie mix goes where she pleases, she is scared of nothing lol.

 

[dnowa1975]

Thanks for the input. Was thinking of giving them separate inside areas but allow them to be together out in the run......or maybe this isn't necessary......guess my biggest concern is the silkies are younger than everyone else. I do have 3 regular bantys that get along great with the regular birds in and out. I assume the rooster would be ok with everyone....he thinks he's BIG!

 

[gritsar]

I have two silkie pullets in a coop with 14 other birds. In addition, the silkies free range with their flock and my other flock of LF brahmas. Everyone does fine. Shortly after my three chicks hatched from one of my broodies I had a problem with the silkies being aggressive towards the chicks; one silkie in particular was downright mean to the chicks. Now that the chicks are larger than the silkie, things have improved.

ETA: My two silkies were raised in the same brooder with the birds they share a coop with.

 

[dnowa1975]

My silkies are currently in an add on coop that shares a chicken wire wall with other birds.....so they do know each other.

. The only aggression I've seen through the fence seems to be with the rooster, Major. He's the only roo in the flock