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[memphisto]

Hi all,

 

OH has mentioned that he would like us to get some Silkies, we've got another coop and 2 more runs on order as we'd bought in advance of our Buff Sussex coming next year.

 

We've actually found a place that does them and has some ready at POL in a few weeks.

 

So, what I am wondering is, do Silkies and hybrids get along, are they compatible together? We're lucky in as much as we have a large side garden leading to our large main garden, so we could theorhetically split the clans up although that would mean we'd have to spend some time fencing off areas for each group, but it's possible.

 

Do hybrids bully Silkies or such like?

 

OH has said we can get 2 Silkies and really that's all we can have at the moment because we have 5 already and 2 ordered for next August, which would give us 9 altogether.

 

How different are silkies needs from hybrids? We're putting bark down for the hybrids shortly in their pen area, will silkies need the same or something else because of their feet?

 

Would really appreciate opinions and advice before going ahead with anything (I'm still hankering after the ex-batts but OH has said no )

[Chortle Chook]

What a nice OH

 

I wouldn't have thought that Silkies would need particularly special conditions. Though they have feathered feet, they do not have the massive feathering on their feet that some of the Dutch chickies have, or some Pekins.

 

With regard to mixing them with Hybrids, all the advice I've ever read says not to do it, as the latter are likely to bully the Silkies. Hs are quite a bit bigger even than the full sized Silkies and also quite a bit more pushy. Also, if you get Silkies with big hair dos (and the size of their pom poms does vary with the black ones usually having somewhat smaller ones than other colours), then the Silkies would be at a disadvantage to the Hybrids as the pom pom can restrict their vision a bit. My little gold silkie certainly does not see well.

 

I think that Squiffs has both hybrids and silkies and keeps them separate so perhaps she will be along shortly to say more

[keyhole kate]

I have both hybrids and littlies together look at my signature however there is no yes or no answer it is totally dependant on the individual personalaties of the individual chickens involved I would look at the advice on intros on here and be prepared for a long slow intro period and also a back up plan if you find you cannot reach harmony

[squiffs]

I do keep my little silkie darlings separate from my hybrid girls, they're boisterous monstrosities most of the time to them. My silkies did go through a spate of picking on a couple of the hybrids, but once the hybrids came into lay they found their voice and started trampling the silkies/pecking and drawing blood.

 

My silkies are very sensitive delicate little souls and it only takes one mean hybrid to get them confined to the hospital wing for an evening to calm down.

 

I only mix them when they free range, when all the chooks have the run of the entire garden so there's space for the littlies to get away. I will also mention that I've had my silkies for about 3 months and they haven't yet come into lay, so this is probably another factor for why my hybrids are so aggressive with them. I think if I'd got silkies first and they had come into lay, then introducing POL hybrids 1 or 2 at a time may have worked better.

 

If you have spare run space, be prepared to use it, because they are very easily frightened, too docile for their own good, and take a bloomin' long time to mature, so never expect to just merge the two flocks easily.

 

My Silkies and my Hybrids both have the same run flooring, the only difference is the silkie run is in a much nicer state than the hybrid one, they don't dig so fervently and they don't do massive poos, so their run floor is relatively undisturbed (softwood chippings from b&q).

[Space Chick]

Hybrids bully silkies? Trying telling this to Beverley my Red Silkie she always picks on Mel my Columbine Hybrid and then there's Gita my Gold Silkie that puts Gwen (large fowl crossbreed) in her place obviously these 2 didn't read that they were meant to be the underdogs

 

I should add that my silkies are this years hatch, and all my hybrids are last years hatch, so my experience is different to squiffs

 

Mine live in harmony... My Silkies and Bantams sleep in a separate walk in run to my hybrids and large fowl, but this is due to space logistics rather than personality issues.. My silkies (I have 6) all free range well with my hybrids.... And I have never had any issues.... Well apart from my Silkie bullies mentioned above

 

What I would say is that Silkies do like other Silkies around I previously had a lone Silkie and she was very much a loner, and my current 6 usually go around with their "pair" (2 golds, 2 reds and then a blue and black)

 

Hope this helps

[memphisto]

Thank you for your replies.

 

In terms of back up plans, it would be easy to fence off one garden from the other, allbeit it would take a day or so but could easily be done but I'm still not sure on the idea of silkies.

 

My hybirds are quite boisterous at times and whilst yes, I could segregate any new chickens, I'm not sure how well it would work out with silkies and hybrids. I maybe think silkies should wait until we have a bit more experience of chicken keeping?

 

I can just see Penny bullying them, she's top hen at the moment and she's quite formidable at times, sometimes Dilys gets in on the act too and despite having a large garden where they could, after integration, FR with space between them, I can just see Penny hunting them out!

 

On the other hand though, the original 3 accepted the 2 new girls quite readily and there could the situation the same as yours Space Chick where the silkies bully the hybrids!.

 

I'm going to think on and get more info, the rational side of me says it's not the right thing to do but the chicken lover says do it!

[memphisto]

Sadly, we have come to the conclusion it's not the right thing for us to do at the current time. We've both come to the conclusion we need more experience first and we aren't confident that they would integrate well.

 

I'm still hankering after my ex-batts but OH isn't having any of it, we might end up with some more hybrids before the buff's arrive next year though.

[Chortle Chook]

Surely Ex-bats would get on with Hybrids wouldn't they, once they were back in the feather so to speak? Why does your OH not want any?