Baby Silkies TERRIFIED

[chickenlovematters]

So, I have 5 beautiful babies that we brought home 3 weeks ago, putting them around 4 weeks old. Now, don’t judge me..but I have them in my bathtub because I have only two bedrooms and one being my 3 year old son’s room. I also have inside cats so until I could have something predator proof, that’s where they ended up.

Now to the real story. I set up an XL dog kennel with some mesh chicken wire around the bottom for them in the corner of the living room because they have started getting springy and trying to get out of the bathtub. During the day, they were in heaven. Sunbathing under the heat lamp, dust bathing, all the happy signs. Problem was, as soon as we went to bed and turned out the lights, it was like a murderer was on the loose. I tried moving the heat lamp and sitting with them. Nothing worked. Had to move them back to the bathtub and play momma hen, placing my hands over them and they went straight to sleep. I raised my beautiful black sexlinks who were like little puppy dogs and never had any special requirements. These silkies are something else.

Any idea why they got so terrified once I went to bed? Am I transitioning them to something bigger too soon?

 

[Calichicks23]

Do you have something for them to go inside or under ? I have a heat plate that they will huddle under. Silkies don’t roost much the tend to pile together to sleep.
My chicks also enjoyed a small nesting type box that they all piled into to sleep.
Sometimes it can take a few days/ weeks before they get the hang of it too.
Good luck

 

[Cornflower]

I think they were trying to follow you and couldn't get out of the tub. You can't expect the highly social silky to be anything like the sex links that were breeded to endure the hard neglected life of crowd farming. Look up the traits of the silky breed and follow that as a guide, I think you'll know what to do for them then.

 

[chickenlovematters]

Do you have something for them to go inside or under ? I have a heat plate that they will huddle under. Silkies don’t roost much the tend to pile together to sleep.
My chicks also enjoyed a small nesting type box that they all piled into to sleep.
Sometimes it can take a few days/ weeks before they get the hang of it too.
Good luck

I do have a little box in there, which they love to pile in when in the tub. They would even canoodle and snooze a little during the day. It was just like, they wanted me to put them to bed and freaked out like I had left them outside abandoned. I will say, the heat plate is in the bathroom, but I have a heat lamp hooked to the kennel. Maybe they really think they are outside..?

 

[chickenlovematters]

Do you have something for them to go inside or under ? I have a heat plate that they will huddle under. Silkies don’t roost much the tend to pile together to sleep.
My chicks also enjoyed a small nesting type box that they all piled into to sleep.
Sometimes it can take a few days/ weeks before they get the hang of it too.
Good luck

I do have a little box in there, which they love to pile in when in the tub. They would even canoodle and snooze a little during the day. It was just like, they wanted me to put them to bed and freaked out like I had left them outside abandoned. I will say, the heat plate is in the bathroom, but I have a heat lamp hooked to the kennel. Maybe they really think they are outside..?

 

[chickenlovematters]

I think they were trying to follow you and couldn't get out of the tub. You can't expect the highly social silky to be anything like the sex links that were breeded to endure the hard neglected life of crowd farming. Look up the traits of the silky breed and follow that as a guide, I think you'll know what to do for them then.

Thank you!! I’ve read a lot about them before getting them..but maybe I’ve missed something! I’ll do more reading!

 

[Iluveggers]

Can you put the heat plate in the kennel? My chicks liked to sleep under it, even when I first turned it off when they hit the 4 week mark.

 

[Kimsole]

So, I have 5 beautiful babies that we brought home 3 weeks ago, putting them around 4 weeks old. Now, don’t judge me..but I have them in my bathtub because I have only two bedrooms and one being my 3 year old son’s room. I also have inside cats so until I could have something predator proof, that’s where they ended up.

Now to the real story. I set up an XL dog kennel with some mesh chicken wire around the bottom for them in the corner of the living room because they have started getting springy and trying to get out of the bathtub. During the day, they were in heaven. Sunbathing under the heat lamp, dust bathing, all the happy signs. Problem was, as soon as we went to bed and turned out the lights, it was like a murderer was on the loose. I tried moving the heat lamp and sitting with them. Nothing worked. Had to move them back to the bathtub and play momma hen, placing my hands over them and they went straight to sleep. I raised my beautiful black sexlinks who were like little puppy dogs and never had any special requirements. These silkies are something else.

Any idea why they got so terrified once I went to bed? Am I transitioning them to something bigger too soon?

I‘m just reading your post because I’m in the same situation and I hope it gets better. I got 6 silkies delivered in June and they are 5 weeks old and absolutely Terrified !

 

[chickenlovematters]

I‘m just reading your post because I’m in the same situation and I hope it gets better. I got 6 silkies delivered in June and they are 5 weeks old and absolutely Terrified !

Be patient..now that mine are older, I have one that is literally like a puppy dog and so sweet. I actually just bought her a diaper so she can come in the house. Only one other one actually allows me to pick her up and my male silky is humping the ground bc he’s ready and the girls are not Happy adventures with your fluff butts!

 

[Kimsole]

Be patient..now that mine are older, I have one that is literally like a puppy dog and so sweet. I actually just bought her a diaper so she can come in the house. Only one other one actually allows me to pick her up and my male silky is humping the ground bc he’s ready and the girls are not Happy adventures with your fluff butts!

Thank you for the hope ! I‘m so glad some of yours are relaxing. Enjoy !