Advice, please.

[mommabird724]

I'm adopting a Silkie hen and her four babies. The owner says she's very protective and pecked her hard today. I'm not afraid of handling her, but I'm hoping someone can give me good advice. I plan to keep her and her babies inside for a few days until she calms down from being rehomed.

 

[danielkbrantley]

Best advice: Hang out around her a lot. Let her see you providing food and water. If the chicks stray from her, pick them up on occasion and direct them back to mama. I don't think she'll ever like you being around when she has chicks, but in my limited experience (having a broody for the first time that is raising chicks), mama hen tolerates me a lot better than my daughter or anyone else who isn't daily feeding, watering, and lending a protective hand.

 

[lazy gardener]

Give mama space to take care of her babies. It will be hard, because chickens don't do change well. I'd get her settled into her coop. I'm hoping you can give her her own space and she'll not have to carve out space for herself in a pecking order. I would put her in her permanent location, instead of putting her inside, and then moving her to her coop. The less change the better.

 

[Choco Maran]

I tend to agree with Lazy Gardner. Give mama her space but place her in the coop but with some sort of barrier between her and the rest of the flock, but so they can see her and he babies. This will make the transition into the flock easier when the time comes. Feed her chick starter so the babies have this also.

 

[chickens really]

I tend to agree with Lazy Gardner. Give mama her space but place her in the coop but with some sort of barrier between her and the rest of the flock, but so they can see her and he babies. This will make the transition into the flock easier when the time comes. Feed her chick starter so the babies have this also.

GOSH!!!
She will need time!
Dont think you will handle her or the Chicks for a few weeks!
Don't bother her either.
The move might be enough to leave her chicks!!

 

[danielkbrantley]

Now that people who know what they're talking about have chipped in, I would like to recant my advice. I didn't think about the trauma of rehoming. Here's to the best outcome!

 

[mommabird724]

Thank you everyone for great advice! I placed her on my lap for the car ride home and placed her babies all around her. She seemed watchful and eventually settled right in. They had a nice meal at home and I sat next to her quietly talking to her. She made sweet sounds. So far so good.

 

[danielkbrantley]

Thank you everyone for great advice! I placed her on my lap for the car ride home and placed her babies all around her. She seemed watchful and eventually settled right in. They had a nice meal at home and I sat next to her quietly talking to her. She made sweet sounds. So far so good.

Fantastic!

 

[mommabird724]

This morning she made her babies get behind her when I brought food and water. I sat next to her and quietly talked to her. After maybe ten minutes she relaxed and let the babies come to eat with her. They ate and now she's sitting with them while I'm sitting here. I hope she's getting comfortable with me. I won't try to handle her today although I'm itching to clean dirty feet!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I'm glad you all are doing well!