The Middle Tennessee Thread

[CarolJ]

Quote:
Congratulations to Megan! That's an impressive accomplishment!

 

[tennesseechickie]

Hi everyone! Its been awhile since Ive been on here, but I have a question Id like to ask you guys rather than in the general section if thats ok.
I have 5 hens and a roo that are about 7 months old and all are laying great. I have a coop and run but let them free range during the day. I just obtained 2 beautiful little silkies that are about 6 months old. My intentions were to keep them in the coop with the other chickens, but Ive been noticing that my other chickens are really picking on them alot when they are closed up in the run with them. Especially if the silkies are in the coop. They are so cute, and they just huddle together in a nesting box, yet the other hens run them out and chase them alot.
SHould I throw up another run with another coop? Well, not really a coop. I have a dog house (2x3) that my son built that I think they would be fine in, and I would get him to build a nesting box out the side of it. I am just wondering if the girls all will work it out, or if I should seperate them. Even my roo picks on them! If I seperate the silkies to their own run/coop, I will probably go get a silkie rooster for them. It was my intentions to let them free range like my other chickens, but they are so timid! Ive had them over a week now and they only leave the coop to eat and drink, which is about 2 hours a day.

Thanks in advance.
Nicole

Oh! Also, will the girls be ok with our winters here in middle TN? Im thinking so. I wont have a heat lamp for them out there, but I covered all their windows with plastic and have a tarp over their run. Is that enough?

 

[dixieland]

Cock-a-Doodle-Doo !
Good morning everyone. Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend!

 

[cpegram]

CONGRATS MEGAN!!! I am a scared of heights so no climbing for me

BUT You go GIRL!!!!

TennesseeChickie I keep my silkies separate from my LF they do tend to pick on the silkies because they are smaller and that poof on thier head....usually if they grow up together but still I keep mine separated and use my silkie coop as a grow out. The silkies are laid back enough to have younger smaller ones with them so it works out

. I don't let my silkies "free range" because they cant see as well for predators and such but i do have a playpen for them to go out and play in the grass inside of. as for heating na they should be good I will have something going on below freezing days or nights to try to keep the water from freezing but other than than they will be fine

 

[robin416]

Quote:
Part of your problem is bringing in new birds to an established flock. There needs to be a little more introduction in the form of not allowing the others to be able to get at them. If blood is drawn it will not end well for the more passive Silkies.

If your girls have heavy poof on their heads I do not recommend free ranging them when no one is around. They can not see trouble coming and they can't fly to escape it. I had two hawk attempts on my other birds this year. Had it been Silkies the hawk would have no competition for grabbing one.

I'm a bit further South than you but we still get the same temps. Most of my birds consist of Silkies and has since I began raising chickens years ago. They will do fine in our Winters. I do have low stands for them to climb up on to roost at night to get off the cold floor.

 

[Raven1]

Good Morning!
I had a great hatch over the weekend 15/18 Dark Brahmas lost oneandhave another with bad feet will have to see how that goes. Also got an email that my Birchen Marans eggs are in the mail

Donna I hope you get at least a couple more Marans to hatch go chickies

I hope Amy will check in with her hatch results too!

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

I agree 100% of both the previous post!

NPIP was today things went great. Now we are ready for Indy. My bags packed, Stinky's bags packed, Chickens bag packed bring on the fun. Cept no smoking when traveling with others. Oh my I will go insane.

Morning everyone today is gonna be prudy! Good day for bathing chickens.

 

[HBuehler]

Thanks everyone

I would have been out at the 5' level..I don't like heights and climbing that wall NO way would not happen...Megan though is fearless and tough as nails.

I have had hatchery quality silkies that had no problem free ranging but any good silkies I wouldn't free range at all..it would be like leaving a baby goat in a lion's cage around my place

I don't have the big chickens picking on the bantam chickens problem.Mine live together in some pens just fine but all of my big birds are real passive breeds.
I would watch out with a dog house being used as a coop as they are not very well ventilated unless you make some revisions to it.Lack of proper ventilation is one of the most deadly things to a chicken..I have also seen many chicken coops with the same problem.

 

[KandiandJerry]

Congrats on the great hatch..........

 

[HBuehler]

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Can you come get all my stuff ready for Indy now

I still haven't unpacked from the weekend...so maybe remove the dirty throw in something and call it done!Reminds me got to book the motel..I'm on top of this trip all the way

It's only about 7 hours up there you should be fine that long without smoking