Hi out there. I'm in a terrible predicament and I need all the help I can get...
Here's the background:
I have (had) 12 5 week old chicks; one Silkie with 4 babies (4 weeks); four large laying hens and one Silkie rooster. The 12 chicks were in an enclosure in my back yard attached (yet fenced off) to my run which houses my four hens and rooster. My mama silkie free ranges with her babies. Inside my coop I have a small portion caged in with a heat lamp for the 12 chicks.
Here's the emergency:
The night before last raccoons came and pulled all but one chick out through the poultry netting...it was the worst carnage I've ever seen. The chick that survived has a hurt or broken foot and won't put weight on it but, otherwise, is eating and drinking and may even pull through. I have this chick by itself in the portioned off place in my coop with the heat lamp. The Silkie with the babies WAS outside in a box enclosed in a dog crate for the evenings and allowed to range throughout the day. The four hens and roo have a wonderful spot for the night inside and a yard outside. This arrangement was working well and I was going to integrate everyone at the appropriate time and growth period. This has all changed now.
The mama Silkie has changed her mind about wanting to be out in the crate during the night hours (as have I).
My huge predicament:
I have no more space and limited resources for anymore housing. I am NOT going to lose Silkie mama and her babies to those "bleeping" coons but I'm scared to put her in with the little hurt chick cause I don't want to lose it either and am afraid the mama might hurt it cause it isn't hers, isn't the same age as hers and is injured. I do not want to put Silkie mama and babies in with the big girls and the roo cause she is the bottom of the barrel anyway and the hens might hurt her babies.
WHAT ON EARTH CAN I POSSIBLY DO WITH THE SCENARIO I'VE DESCRIBED!!! I am at my wit's end and would really appreciate any help and/or advice you guys can give me. Thanks in advance...I'm hanging onto this computer desk anxiously awaiting replies before dark tonight!!! (6 hours from now).
Here's the background:
I have (had) 12 5 week old chicks; one Silkie with 4 babies (4 weeks); four large laying hens and one Silkie rooster. The 12 chicks were in an enclosure in my back yard attached (yet fenced off) to my run which houses my four hens and rooster. My mama silkie free ranges with her babies. Inside my coop I have a small portion caged in with a heat lamp for the 12 chicks.
Here's the emergency:
The night before last raccoons came and pulled all but one chick out through the poultry netting...it was the worst carnage I've ever seen. The chick that survived has a hurt or broken foot and won't put weight on it but, otherwise, is eating and drinking and may even pull through. I have this chick by itself in the portioned off place in my coop with the heat lamp. The Silkie with the babies WAS outside in a box enclosed in a dog crate for the evenings and allowed to range throughout the day. The four hens and roo have a wonderful spot for the night inside and a yard outside. This arrangement was working well and I was going to integrate everyone at the appropriate time and growth period. This has all changed now.
The mama Silkie has changed her mind about wanting to be out in the crate during the night hours (as have I).
My huge predicament:
I have no more space and limited resources for anymore housing. I am NOT going to lose Silkie mama and her babies to those "bleeping" coons but I'm scared to put her in with the little hurt chick cause I don't want to lose it either and am afraid the mama might hurt it cause it isn't hers, isn't the same age as hers and is injured. I do not want to put Silkie mama and babies in with the big girls and the roo cause she is the bottom of the barrel anyway and the hens might hurt her babies.
WHAT ON EARTH CAN I POSSIBLY DO WITH THE SCENARIO I'VE DESCRIBED!!! I am at my wit's end and would really appreciate any help and/or advice you guys can give me. Thanks in advance...I'm hanging onto this computer desk anxiously awaiting replies before dark tonight!!! (6 hours from now).