I'm scared for my silkie!

[gritsar]

My little silkie, Jethro, is almost 11 weeks old. My other layer chicks have been roosting since they were just a couple weeks old, up high - about 3 1/2 ft. Since Jethro loves to hang out with this part of the flock while free ranging, he naturally wants to roost with them, but he can't fly up to this particular roost. At roost time, he'll run back and forth looking up at the other chicks until it gets too dark for him to see them, then he settles for a lower roost or the top of the waterer for the night.
Tonight he was really determined to get up with the other chicks and tried climbing his way up to them by using a piece of plastic fencing that is attached to the bottom of the roost. He failed.
Feeling sorry for him, I picked him up and put him on the roost with his buddies, but I'm worried.
In the morning, will Jethro be able to fly (or fall with style) down from a 3 1/2 ft. high roost or will he injure himself?
Oh and Jethro is almost certainly a she, not a he, as if that matters.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I have obviously much less chicken experience than you- I cringe to even try to respond, but:

I do have silkies. My oldest ones are a little more than two months old. I have never seen them 3 1/2 feet in the air, jumping or flying up. If it were me, I would put some kind of little ramp or step for her, and hoped she used it. I would worry about her feet.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Thanks for the response.
I had thought about a ramp or step, but it would be impossible to do in our current set-up. When they move to their permanent coop, we intend to rig something up.
In the meantime, the night passed with Jethro looking very pleased with herself for being up there with the big girls. First thing I did this morning was check on her, to make sure she wasn't having any foot or leg problems. She's just fine.
My other chicks and my big birds I don't worry about. This isn't my first rodeo. It's the silkies that are my constant source of worry.

 

[rcentner]

I had one chick smaller than the rest and she could not get up with the others, I had to put her up there for about 4 nights...she always jumped down sucessfully. I worried about it too, but down is easier than up. the chick ought to grow fast enough to catch up real soon

 

[ranchhand]

You're scared FOR your silkie?

I'm scared OF your silkie

Just rig a temporary fix somehow. I know you're resourceful!

 

[silkydragon]

my silkies can get up to my roost no problem they kinda fall off in the mornings its funny if i go down early and feed them they all fall off at the same time

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I'mma gonna send you some silkie eggs to hatch and tell you that they are brahma eggs (yeah right, like that would fly).

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
So it's like I said, they fall with style?

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
I'mma gonna send you some silkie eggs to hatch and tell you that they are brahma eggs (yeah right, like that would fly).

AAAAACKKKK!

Oh wait- do they dust as well as the Swiffer duster?

 

[Quailbuddy]

Quote:
I'mma gonna send you some silkie eggs to hatch and tell you that they are brahma eggs (yeah right, like that would fly).

AAAAACKKKK!

Oh wait- do they dust as well as the Swiffer duster?