Hi everybody. I brought two young silkies home from a show about a month ago. I guess their ages were about 6 week for one and 10 weeks for the other. They had a pen inside the main coop to themselves for a few weeks. Then I started letting them out in the run while I watched to make sure they weren't attacked too bad. They never seemed too interested in exploring/scratching much. They are now fully integrated with no major pecking incidents, and I removed their temporary pen. But they continue to huddle in the corner that was their pen. I have showed them the ramps to exit the coop to the run several times, by shooing them up and down the ramps. My other birds never had any problems with the ramps even when they were babies. When I have shooed them out to the run, they just huddle by the fence, occasionally scratching. The rest of the flock mostly ignores them. Occasionally my other silkies stand very close to them in a sort of challenge, and the larger baby will lower her head in a submissive posture. The rest of the flock go in and out all day. But these babies don't seem to move much unless I make them. They are eating and drinking well and growing. Poops are healthy. I put them on corid preventatively. They appear very healthy.
They have more crest at this age than my other silkies had. Especially the larger one. So I wonder it their eyesight is the issue. Should I cut the crest off? Any ideas or advice would be appreciated.
They have more crest at this age than my other silkies had. Especially the larger one. So I wonder it their eyesight is the issue. Should I cut the crest off? Any ideas or advice would be appreciated.
