4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[sarahpink]

I have got a 5/6 month old Silkie hen who up until recently had two brothers who have sadly had to go as they started to crow (still have one as trying to find him a new home).

 

I am keen to have two more girls to keep her company but not sure how to go about it, I would probably go for a different breed, something that can be sexed earlier possibly. I would prefere to get chicks as we have a 2yr old son and its been great for the chicks to grow up with him, resulting in then being extremly tame.(they love to sit on his knee and have their chest stroked!)

 

We have a brooder so could get young ones again but I did wonder if we could put some eggs/chicks in with our silkie as they can be very broody hens, although she hasn't started laying yet.

 

If I was to get some older hens would I need to get them the same age as our silkie or could i get them younger? If so what would be good age?

 

Please help, advice needed ASAP as cockerel has got to go in next few days so little girl is going to be left all on her own!

[Patricia W]

I'd get 2 hens the same age or a little big younger than the one you have. There's lots of help with introductions on here. See what others think

 

Tricia

[laurmurf]

you couldn't put eggs or day-olds in with your existing silkie as although they do go broody, your girl is a bit young for that just yet (when/if she does go broody in the future, you'll know about it).

 

Try to get some chums who are the same sort of age, size and temperment.

 

good luck!

[teri]

my silkie lives really happily with a leg horn and three light sussex and they a huge compared to her. two of the sussex arrived from a friend who could no longer keep them and so were introduced to beauty zoe and polka dot as extras ( i just couldn't say no could i??? ) no problems at all even though my silkie is a lot smaller, she is definatley the boss!

your right about silkies making great broodies as beauty has recently sat twice (the first lot of eggs failed so she went straight onto a second set. she sat for a total of eight weeks!!!thats one broody hen ) we now have seven georgous chicks but i agree with other postings that she is too young to introduce either eggs or chicks to just yet.

....although i will be watching this space next spring .....