Silkies won't go into hen house

[Ruby Rivers]

We bought a variety of chickens two weeks ago and although the older, larger laying girls took to the hen house easily, the two younger ones (Silkies) huddle together in a corner of the run after dusk and we have to put them into the hen house. Can anyone help us, please?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Is there a ramp?

Silkies have to be trained on ramps from my experience...they have to get used to them.

Another possibility is that the older hens are pecking them on the roost. How old are the silkies?

One thing you can do is to add a light to come on right when you want them to go into the coop and turn off a bit later.

 

[Ruby Rivers]

Thanks CAS for this advice. We believe they're three months old. There is a ramp but it's quite long as the hen house is raised so I'm going to make some temporary side walls to the ramp and channel them up it.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

OK three month old silkies are about one month away from really being ready to integrate with older hens, ideally. They are terrified of being pecked and are quite timid at that age.

I would NOT put a light on in the coop given their age and if there are older hens in there, for if the older hens can see them easily they may be pecked.

If you keep the food in the coop that is ideal with silkies but again given that they are probably timid you may even want two feeders to give them more chances to eat given the older hens' presence.

It sounds like things are going well except for the silkies not wanting to go to bed. So really all is well and they are acting normally for their age. Continue to baby them and they will get the routine down pat soon!

Just make sure no blood is drawn, and they aren't being bullied/bloodied. Silkies have a soft spot on the head and are prone to wry neck/crookneck if injured there, but if that ever happens vitamin therapy helps some (it can also be caused by a vitamin deficiency).

 

[Ruby Rivers]

Thank you so much for this advice. It's really put my mind at ease.