crankycookie Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Since losing my Taffy, my White Rock, I'm thinking of getting a silkie or two to replace her. Right now I have 2 standard girls in a 5'x7' walk in run, with free ranging on the weekends. I'm a bit afraid of introducing a single silkie to two larger girls, but I'm also afraid that cramming 4 chickens into one run might be a tight squeeze. In terms of run space needed, garden scratching, food consumed, noise, etc, are two silkie banties about equal to a fairly large Plymouth Rock, or am I deluding myself? Also, a question about quarantine, I read that new chickens should not "share airspace" with the old chickens, but I'm not sure how far to take that. I have a fenced-off vegetable patch around the corner from the garage, but I don't know if this is isolated enough. They will not share free ranging space. Worst case scenario I could keep them in a rabbit hutch in the house, or is that crazy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Its not ideal to think in terms of X bantams = X large fowl however I do think your run size should be ok to add the two Silkies, they need a good square metre each so you are not far off that, its not ideal as you recognise but its also not overcrowding them I show chickens so often have them going through quarantine, the veg patch will be fine, as they cant directly get at each other they will be fine At worst a rabbit hutch in a garage or shed would be ok for the quarantine period - you'll find they are pretty unbearable when they are in the house though! When they are out of quarantine they will still need separate accomodation while they get used to the other girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 If you have LF why don't you look for LF silkies ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crankycookie Posted June 30, 2010 Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 Ah, I'm in the US, and as far as I'm aware we only have bantam sizes, though I'd love a LF silkie. From my research American silkies are sort of an intermediate size between the European silkie bantams and the LF versions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 That would be ok with LF. I have bantams with medium sized Marsh Daisy's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
