# Adding a silkie to the flock



## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

Robin, we have had a shake up in the flock. I lost 2 buff orps and my dear black orp. Now we are left with 2 buffs( 1.5 y). Just added two cream legbars(12 weeks) and 2 bard rocks same as the legbars. My wife still wants a silkie. Is it possible to introduce 1 or 2 that are the same age or a little older. We talked before about keeping them all together and a part. I know that it's bad to have just one new girl, but was not sure since the others are new to if one would be ok if not 2 is ok but 3 is a no. 

P.S. Fixed the predator issue


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Introduction of older birds would be the same for Silkies as it is for any other breed. There was an opportunity there with the addition of the two Legbars to add the Silkies at the same time. Silkies are more laid back most of the time, they don't fly and roosting can be a challenge for them. But very often there is that one that will brook no nonsense from another. 

Get your wife a couple of Silkies. There is no reason for them not being able to live in the main bird coop with the others. Unless one of your others is an absolute bully.

Did the predator get in the coop?


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

Yes a raccoon got in and killed,but didn't eat them. I comeback that night and took care of it.


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

The **** dug under, over a weekend and I was away. My wife was very upset because she grew to love that huge black orpington.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Did you take care of the perimeter problem? Where I used to live digging was not an option for me, worst soil I've ever seen, so I laid wire out from the coop a couple of feet then top dressed it with dirt I got from some where else.


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

I dug a foot down to extend then wire then it then added the wire in an L shape. A foot down and a foot in. I also fixed a few holes under the main fence that an armadillo dug.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Son of gun, that was a lot!!! That other place we lived in, that kind of digging could only be done with a backhoe. Although a fox was able to dig a pretty good hole in front of the man door for the outside pen, didn't get far but I could have used all that energy in other places.

I'm keeping them from digging in to this new place with hot wire close to the ground. They do scream loud when they touch that wire.


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

It's easy digging in the sand here.


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

She is on the swing I made. Some like it others don't.


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)




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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I found the same thing, some don't mind the swing, others think its a monster coming after them. The first bird on is not particularly happy when another flies up and gets it swinging.


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

Getting excited to be get the legbars and silikes. Is there and thing I should look for when picking the silkies out?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Since these guys are going to be yard art just what you would normally check for, health. I could give you a whole list of things if they were going to be show birds. That girl in my avatar was worth a couple of hundred bucks. 

And remember, if you want them to free range very little poof on the head and around the eyes. Letting any of my girls out that looked like that one was work to make certain they didn't wander off too far. If you can't see their eyes when looking straight on, then they can't see you or much of anything else.


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

I got 2 Legbars, 1bantam cochins in calico/millie fluer(my wife fell in love and decided to wait to get her silkie) and a calico Cochin.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, that explain the missing Silkies in your other post. Cochins are pretty laid back most of the time and can be just as stunning as a Silkie.


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

They really just I candy to her


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