Your setup is so different from ours ~ you have way bigger facilities, larger flock, many different ages, different health issues at one time, & a variety of standard & bantam breeds & you offer an accommodation available for all needs of the hens. But even though you have ground nests available for Silkies they will still want to be w/the big birds on a higher level so you are getting hanging neck Silkies in your setup. It's just what's going to happen when there's such a variety of options.

I'm thinking that's why breeders I've dealt with keep certain breeds like Silkies separated from standard breeds. Silkies are a little 2-lb bird but w/all the desires the big breeds want ~ but the little guys don't fly: that's a hindrance they don't accept as their handicap. A standard breed or bantam flyer that loses balance on a high perch flaps wings to glide to the floor. Silkies flap but fall harder w/almost useless wing power. Silkies are great jumpers/poor flyers ~ the little dears.

Our situation is different. After many years of dealing w/ different breeds we made the decision to attrition down to just Silkies in the yard. They are a relatively hardy breed for our climate, do better in an all-same breed flock, & their eggs are the biggest of bantam breeds ~ plus they are great family lap chickens.

Because we have only one standard Dominique left w/ 5 Silkies we have the ability to keep the Silkies from wanting to reach the perch the Dom uses. The 5 Silkies are content to use the coop nests to sleep. Silkies want to roost as high as any other chicken & walking up our steep coop ramp gives them the feeling already that they are high off the ground & don't seem to want the coop perch the Dom uses.
View attachment 3963644
View attachment 3963648View attachment 3963650
When/if our old Dom passes before the 5 Silkies we will probably remove the coop perch altogether & add a couple more floor nest boxes (although one night DH saw 4 Silkies trying to pile into one 11"x11" nestbox!! Too bad he didn't have his camera! Chickens do keep us laughing!
This seems very well thought out. :thumbsup
 
On this fine Saturday, Grandma is watching a documentary about gut health. I think she was watching me more than the film.
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A guy set out a radio w/music for his chickens & they surrounded it w/great curiosity. Maybe they liked the music? or were they thinking how do we get feed out of it?
 
Brenna and Cassia
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Lumi
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Rosie and Lumi
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heading to bed before the mean ladies.
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Brenna has a neck full of pins. Alinta is going broody again. I pointed out that it is October and she doesn't like the kids she has so why in the world does she want more?!
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straggly neck Brenna
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broody butt
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you must have at least one foot on the fountain when getting a drink.
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It's a good design.
I spired by Marty’s 2am launches into the abyss….. 😆

Feb 2023 - I was in a remote camp working and caught her doing this! 2am Alberta time (4am Ontario time) - she was ok, she had to lay an egg apparently.

But when I got home I tore out all the roosts and nest boxes and redid everything - there was a good discussion going on here at FBA surrounding the design. Thanks for everyone’s input!!!

 
Your setup is so different from ours ~ you have way bigger facilities, larger flock, many different ages, different health issues at one time, & a variety of standard & bantam breeds & you offer an accommodation available for all needs of the hens. But even though you have ground nests available for Silkies they will still want to be w/the big birds on a higher level so you are getting hanging neck Silkies in your setup. It's just what's going to happen when there's such a variety of options.

I'm thinking that's why breeders I've dealt with keep certain breeds like Silkies separated from standard breeds. Silkies are a little 2-lb bird but w/all the desires the big breeds want ~ but the little guys don't fly: that's a hindrance they don't accept as their handicap. A standard breed or bantam flyer that loses balance on a high perch flaps wings to glide to the floor. Silkies flap but fall harder w/almost useless wing power. Silkies are great jumpers/poor flyers ~ the little dears.

Our situation is different. After many years of dealing w/ different breeds we made the decision to attrition down to just Silkies in the yard. They are a relatively hardy breed for our climate, do better in an all-same breed flock, & their eggs are the biggest of bantam breeds ~ plus they are great family lap chickens.

Because we have only one standard Dominique left w/ 5 Silkies we have the ability to keep the Silkies from wanting to reach the perch the Dom uses. The 5 Silkies are content to use the coop nests to sleep. Silkies want to roost as high as any other chicken & walking up our steep coop ramp gives them the feeling already that they are high off the ground & don't seem to want the coop perch the Dom uses.
View attachment 3963644
View attachment 3963648View attachment 3963650
When/if our old Dom passes before the 5 Silkies we will probably remove the coop perch altogether & add a couple more floor nest boxes (although one night DH saw 4 Silkies trying to pile into one 11"x11" nestbox!! Too bad he didn't have his camera! Chickens do keep us laughing!
To be fair to poor Fluffy it’s unusual for her to sleep that way, usually they snuggle up together on the ledge (which is one of the reason I have the ledge), but they sometime like to sleep like that! Go figure - I think it’s like me, sometime I like to hang my feet over the edge of the bed when my legs are spasming.

Right now they are in the Summer House with Mr P which also has a ledge, but also a 2x4 roost - of course everyone wants the ledge, but the silkies rule so those chicklet pullets are stuck finding their own sleeping spot - they cram together on the short section of the ledge while the silkies spread out and lounge on the long section 😁

Bossy those old girls!

This is a temporary solution to keep Mr P from being pecked by the other hens, and to stop him fighting with his son. There is a board separating the short and long sections because Marty is vicious about the chicklets roosting there - the silkies use that blue crate to hop up and down from the ledge. Mr P also uses it.

There are three further nest boxes under that long ledge section.

image.jpg


Soon I will move everyone into the Hen Houses at night with winter coming on.
 
Fluffy Butt Acres news 10/5 - 10/12
Last week's synopsis is here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28058044

First we have three of our regulars checking in after a while of absence.
@ChicoryBlue says hi and talked about her flock after a long time. Don't miss the synchronized sunbathing, not even available in the Olympics: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28059819

@LhickenChicken is busy with gardening? https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28064070

@Pastel the Rooster asked notabitail to deliver updates for us: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28065047 , and lots of pictures three posts later: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28065186

Other gorgeous pictures below!
@Logar
@fuentemoon
@featherhead007
@SimpleJenn
@Sylvester017
@RoyalChick

@Themellowyellows

@Ponypoor
@notabitail
@RebeccaBoyd
@BY Bob

@TOMTE
@Grandma The Chicken works on her gut health: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-28071062

Sorry if I miss anyone. I've been a bit busy.
 

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