Silkies

[jlabs]

I have five silkies. I was curious if anyone out there has had luck mixing silkies with other breeds? I've heard silkies are often picked on.

 

[DuckPro]

My poor silkie used to be picked on

 

[Mylied]

I put some growouts in with my silkies and as the younger chickens grow they leave the silkies alone. I wouldn't try it with older, bigger chickens.

 

[User395221]

My 2 silkies (and 2 polish/silkie crosses) are in with a group of others, but they were born in there. The 2 girls in the photo are their "mums" (that's one of the silkies and one polish/silkie cross when they were babies), There's an australorp/araucana cross, a black copper maran (hatched with the silkies), a belgian d'uccle and some other little bantam crosses. They are mostly small chooks, the australorp cross is quite small. The biggest is the black copper maran, but she's not in charge. Everyone seems to get on ok, I don't think anyone picks on anyone else, including the silkies. The silkies sit in the nest box a lot. I found them both in there with one of the polish/silkie crosses today (there are three, there was no reason for them all to be scrunched in one).

I agree with Mylied, I wouldn't let some of my "big girls" (isa browns) near them. The big girls are in a separate house because they were mean to the fancy bantams when they moved in.

I think it depends on the chooks, but you might have success with some small bantams.

 

[Kiki]

Hi there!
Welcome to BYC and thanks for joining our flock!
This video should help you find your way around, enjoy!

 

[drumstick diva]

If the silkie crosses were 3 in a nest box, it could mean they are going broody. Silkies tend to go broody often and if it seems like is one hen is broody, her buddies go broody also - think is a bonding ritual

 

[User395221]

If the silkie crosses were 3 in a nest box, it could mean they are going broody. Silkies tend to go broody often

2 are pure silkie, they've been sitting together in a nest box quite a lot. Yes, I'd heard that silkies are "clucky-prone" and make good mums. My girls are still very young, I was surprised that they started up nesting at their age.
The only thing different yesterday was there was yet another girl in with them. View media item 7894357

 

[CHICKEN BUFF]

I have five silkies. I was curious if anyone out there has had luck mixing silkies with other breeds? I've heard silkies are often picked on.

My silkies are doing VERY well with my flock of full-size Polish. Polish tend to be pretty mellow and laid back -- I've never witnessed any bullying among my particular birds. In fact, Polish are much more likely to have their head feathers picked off by other breeds! They're not terribly assertive. Since Silkies have the same mindset, they blend well! I can recommend Cochins too as very relaxed and unlikely to bother other birds.

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC Already getting great advice, don't you love it when that happens

 

[anatess]

I have 5 pure silkies, 1 silkie/polish mix, and 4 modern game bantams inside one coop. They get along well. The modern game bantams are small but fast and can fly. The silkies are bigger but can barely hop. So they got their own advantages to prevent one breed from beating up on the other.