Silkies wont go in at night

[NorthernChick1]

I have 8 17week old mixed hens (1Roo) and 4 15 week old Silkies, they stay in a dog crate in the same coop, they all free range and I sometimes keep the silkies in the 24x32ft run while the others go in and out like they please. At night all my hens and 2 ducks go in the coop to sleep but my silkies stay all huddled up together outside and dont go in. I beleive its because they dont want to get bullied and are intimidated. Is there something i can do about this? my 3 white leghorns are pretty mean with them and peck them often, my 2 muscovies dont hurt them but always intimidate by moving on them fast then the silkies run out of the way. Help?

 

[Chickassan]

How is your coop laid out roost wise? Is there a roost the silkies could have to themselves if they wanted in there?

 

[NNYchick]

It may be they are being bullied but it does seem to be a silkie trait to just dog pile and sleep where ever you are at dusk. I have noticed it with mine. Last year I had a dog igloo house for them to sleep in, they would not go in it finally I took it out because it was just taking up room. Then they slept on the floor in the spot where the igloo was. What I have found that helps get them to sleep where I want them is to give them their evening snack there, this has worked for the most part except my 3 oldest- 2 hens and a rooster want to sleep in the nest boxes so I have to move them at dusk.

 

[M4land]

My silkies just cuddled on the floor for months up until about 3 to 4 months...now they LOVE their roosts, BUT their roosts are only about 2 1/2 inches off the floor

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I have issues also with a mixed species flock. I put a low roost at about a foot, with a ladder. Silkies (now 5 mo) liked it until ducks decided to torment them and pull at their feathers at night. Then silkies piled on floor of coop - ducks tormented them and pulled feathers. Now I am lifting silkies up to a higher roost that ducks can’t reach. In response, a bossy older hen comes over from her own roost on other side of the coop and chases them off. Every night I stand there and force everyone to go where I think that they should and force the hens off the Little’s roost. Not a long-term solution!

 

[NorthernChick1]

My roosts are going up today! I have a 7' x 8' coop with a total of 2 ducks and 12 chickens. What would you recoment in size for my roost? i was gonna build them in 1x3's

 

[NorthernChick1]

I do right now have a horse (wood working bench) and only about 3 - 4 chickens use it.When i go see them in the am about 5h50am they are all on the ground (8chickens) as my 4 silkies are in the dog cage in the coop. (because im scared i wake up one morning and find them dead)