Silkies

[robinh]

i got some year old silkies the other day, and i have been easing them into the coupe with the other chickens, are they supposed to be kept seperate from the others? My silkies aren't having a problem, and the other hens and rooster aren't being mean to them, they run from my silkies, it's kinda funny cuz there are only two silkies, and the others are 14 hens and one rooster. so what i'm asking, is this normal and should i keep my silkies seperate?

 

[jimnjay]

When introducing new chickens to an existing flock, you should go slowly. Many people partition off a place where the newbies are kept in full view of the others for several week. If the older flock is afraid of the silkies it may be because they are being more assertive or aggressive in order to stave off any problems with the greater number of chickens. Chickens will always develop a pecking order and right now that has been disturbed. Keep a close eye on them all.

 

[robinh]

thank you, i got them sunday, and brought them out for a few hours, sunday and a few monday and then let them sleep in the coupe last night, i went and checked on them this am and the older ones were still running from them!

 

[Freebie]

My biggest worry about putting them together right away would be if they are sick at all, I would probably leave them separate for a week just to monitor the new ones for any signs of illness. then slowly put them together. When I put mine together I would put the new ones in a cage inside the pen with the older ones. then let them all together after a few weeks of that. It still freaked me out putting them all together and I would cringe sometimes as they established their pecking order. It is kinda funny, because the bantams I have are above the buff orphington and the black austrolorp, as I introduced buffy and sydney last.

 

[robinh]

thank you, i will do that and i think eventually i am going to fix up our other coupe and put just the silkies in there,and keep them seperate cuz i hav 6 wk olds and when they get bigger, i would like to get a rooster and possibly breed them!