still picking on the new birds

[cheri222]

I have been trying to integrate 2 silkie girls (5moths old) to my mixed flock of 6 month olds since early Oct. I tried pulling the bully but a new one just takes their place. The silkie girls now hide all day and won't go into the run. The group did accept a silkie rooster in Aug with no issues. At this point they seem tormented and I was thinking of pulling them for the winter and building them their own place in the spring. Will the older ones mellow once they start laying? Could I try putting them back in the spring? I would build a silkie hut in the sunroom for the winter. I really like these girls and want to keep them or else I would just give them to one of my chicken friends.

 

[sourland]

If they have not been raised together, it can be difficult if not impossible to integrate silkies into an established flock. The pecking order being what it is- is always looking for easy targets. Silkies with their limited vision (crests) and mellow temperments become an easy target. This is especially true if introducing them into a standard flock of much larger birds. A pen of their own would make them much happier and safer.

 

[cheri222]

They have been moved to the house at this point. The one needs to heal up some. So I bathed them and they are drying off while eating blueberry oatmeal and watching Fantasy Factory with my son. My dh is already planning the silkie coop. He thinks he can build it in the basement in panels and have it all ready to go if we get a warm spell. I really don't want house chickens either way. Even if its in the sunroom or basement.