We purchased a single Silkie pullet at our local poultry auction about a month ago (14 weeks now) and I have been placing her in a pen within our run alongside our 5 other chickens who are about 6 months old (EE, Australop, Golden Sex Link, Cuckoo Marans, RIR). I have a few questions.
1. When I let the Silkie out to mix it up with the other chickens, my Golden Sex Link came right over and pecked her on the head. I don't think she would have stopped if I did not intervene. Will I ever be able to integrate this single, smaller chicken into this flock? We live outside Boston and the cold weather is coming. The coop can accommodate another chicken but I worry that they will peck her to death because I purchased only one Silkie when I obviously should have bought 2 or more. I am not sure our Silkie can survive the cold on her own.
2. The Silkie's feathers on her wings seem to stick together a bit, is that normal?
3. Whenever I hold her to move her into her separate pen area--I move her back and forth from a covered dog kennel at night to an enclosed pen in the daytime--she leaves a really strong odor on my hands that my other chickens do not seem to. Are Silkies stinkier than other chickens? If not, what could be wrong with her?
4. If I cannot successfully integrate her into this flock, should I keep her in my house at night, to ensure she will survive our coming cold weather?
1. When I let the Silkie out to mix it up with the other chickens, my Golden Sex Link came right over and pecked her on the head. I don't think she would have stopped if I did not intervene. Will I ever be able to integrate this single, smaller chicken into this flock? We live outside Boston and the cold weather is coming. The coop can accommodate another chicken but I worry that they will peck her to death because I purchased only one Silkie when I obviously should have bought 2 or more. I am not sure our Silkie can survive the cold on her own.
2. The Silkie's feathers on her wings seem to stick together a bit, is that normal?
3. Whenever I hold her to move her into her separate pen area--I move her back and forth from a covered dog kennel at night to an enclosed pen in the daytime--she leaves a really strong odor on my hands that my other chickens do not seem to. Are Silkies stinkier than other chickens? If not, what could be wrong with her?
4. If I cannot successfully integrate her into this flock, should I keep her in my house at night, to ensure she will survive our coming cold weather?