Can I put Silkie hens in the pen as my standard Wyandotte breeders?

[cat1994]

I want some Silkie hens to brood for me and to be pets. But I dont know if I should put them in their own pen or put them with my standard Wyandotte breeders. The Wyandottes pen is really big, but i was wanting to know if the standard Wyandotte roo would be to mean to the lil Silkie hens. As soon as one would go broody I would put her in her own broody house.

Would my breeders be to mean to the Silkie hens?

Would the Silkie hens become less tame b/c of being with my breeders?

Will the Silkie hens not go broody if they are with my breeders?

Thanks to anyone that helps!!

 

[australorpchick]

Quote:
Best of luck.

 

[pennie1]

You can try it, but the poor little Silkies will probably just get mauled. They are not fighters in general (that's why they make such great pets). In most cases the Silkie will just hide their heads and get beat up. Standard hens can be quite pushy.

I am not saying that this is what happens 100% of the time, but the majority (say 85%) of the time.

I would not take the chance.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

This is just my experience on the matter, but I had some silver-laced Wyandottes a long time ago. Anything I put in there with them was murdered 2 hours later. Including males.

I will never own that breed again and I would not chance having my potential broody birds in with them.

 

[cat1994]

Thanks, my Wyandottes are not that mean, they are nice to each other and any other wyandottes I add to the pen.Do you think my big roo could be to much for the lil Silkie hens?

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

I find that most big roos ignore the little silkie hens, or treat them like young chicks. BUT my more aggressive birds will not let them eat. My guinea fowl terrorize my silkie rooster. So I have my silkies in their own pen and only let them free range on the weekends while I can watch. So each bird/flock is different. They all have different personalities. BTW, a shy silkie will turn very aggressive when broody to protect their chicks. They don't stand a chance. My little white hen had to be put down due to injuries while protecting her chicks. Then I had to raise them in a brooder. Better to have them a set up in which they are familiar, know where food and water is, see who gets along and let them brood together. That way the chicks have a safe environment with a mother who doesn't feel like she needs to defend her chicks from the "aggressors". This is just my experience.

 

[cat1994]

Thanks I gusse I better build the Silkie hens their own pen just to be on the safe side. Does their pen need to be anything special or can it be just a normal coop and run?

 

[FlipFlopFarmer]

I am always leary of adding anything that wasnt raised with my silkies, I watch closely, because silkies are usually the under dog. My latest experience..... My friend gave me a few showgirl cockrels and pullets. One in particular, a very attractive and very arrogant splash cockrel, when released from his brooder pen with her other 20 or so showgirls/silkies, picked fights with EVERYBODY, I brought them home and put him in with my 8 month old frizzle cochin hens, the smaller of the two, who is the same size as the cockrel, Whipped the crap out of him and it looked like a fluffy smack down tornado, she grabbed him by his poof and slung him all over the coop, I laughed and then rescued him and calmed the frizzle down. No serious harm, but after I put him back with his clan, he hasnt crowed anymore!

 

[racuda]

Quote:
I think that Silkie runs should be covered because Silkies shouldn't be in the rain. The coop can be normal except you needn't bother with roosts. Most of mine prefer the coop floor to sleep.

 

[cat1994]

Quote:
I think that Silkie runs should be covered because Silkies shouldn't be in the rain. The coop can be normal except you needn't bother with roosts. Most of mine prefer the coop floor to sleep.

Thanks, do I need really deep bedding on the floor of the coop or can it be wire?