Just does not seem to be fitting in HELP!!!

[aplynn]

I have a little silkie who just does not seem to fit in with her flock. She does have a pretty good scissor beak, but she is always on her own. She will eat the food in the pen only when the other chickens are away, I went out to check on her today and she was huddled in a corner all alone while the other chickens were tucked nice and tight together. I felt bad so I brought her inside and she is in a cat carrier (when I am not cuddling with her). Mind you I live in Maine so it is really cold outside right now. I am not sure what I can do to help her flock with the other birds I would just keep her with us in here but is she even gonna be ok? And if so, will she be fine to just be a single chicken hanging out with people and dogs, or am I setting her up to be sad with no other chickens?

She is 4 months old

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she the only silkie or bantam chicken that you have? Do you have another low pecking order chicken that you could put together with her in a pen of their own? Do you moisten her feed with water and use a deep bowl for her to eat better? I have only has 2 silkies and they always hung out in my coop most of the day with the other 2 bantams. They were the lowest in pecking order, and peculiar little chickens, taking turns being broody year round. I hope that you can make a place in your flock for her, and I would check her out for parasites on her skin, worm her, and add some vitamins and probiotics to her feed.

 

[aplynn]

I have a total of 6 silkie bantams and she has always fallen just a little behind the rest of them, I did bring her in a friend last night one of the other silkies. I have been softening up her food and I give her some softer stuff suck as oatmeal and I have been feeding them with a larger food dish but I only started about 2 weeks ago before that I hadn't realized, more then a socially awkward chicken, that there was a problem. It just suddenly became apparent when I picked her up and felt how skinny she was. I almost wonder if she just didn't blimp up enough for winter and is getting too cold. The temp dropped big time here. I feel so guilty that I hadn't noticed an issue sooner.

 

[Pork Pie]

I have a total of 6 silkie bantams and she has always fallen just a little behind the rest of them, I did bring her in a friend last night one of the other silkies. I have been softening up her food and I give her some softer stuff suck as oatmeal and I have been feeding them with a larger food dish but I only started about 2 weeks ago before that I hadn't realized, more then a socially awkward chicken, that there was a problem. It just suddenly became apparent when I picked her up and felt how skinny she was. I almost wonder if she just didn't blimp up enough for winter and is getting too cold. The temp dropped big time here. I feel so guilty that I hadn't noticed an issue sooner.

No need to feel guilty- you acted immediately when you realised there was an issue. None of us are perfect and I'm sure you have learnt from the experience. Onwards and upwards

 

[GodofPecking]

she might be sick and that is a reason other chooks will avoid her. Otherwise, it's as you say, social.

Get her a younger companion of any breed. I find that they hang out together very well, if you put them to sleep in the same place separate from the others, they'll bond very well.

If you get a younger companion of a different breed to her, not only would that work but it can help make up for shortcomings. For example, polish can't see very well, so they team up very well with breeds who can.

 

[aplynn]

I think I am gonna try that even the chick I brought in to be with her is just being mean to her I am gonna have her looks at later today by a vet if she is healthy I am just gonna keep her with me and get her a buddy

 

[appps]

Good luck ;-). My silkie is scared of our two new chicks. She has her own lonesome spot she has sat for years in the coop on the bottom roost. If the babies sit too close she moves to the opposite end of the roost away from them. Sigh

 

[aplynn]

I hope that doesn't happen she seems so scared I wish I could help her. Got up this morning and all she wants to do is sit on my shoulder. She isn't walking around but I think it is more for fear than anything else. She doesn't want to be away from the flock but hey are gonna kill her.

 

[GodofPecking]

it wont be instant, but at least chicks cant maul her at all. give it time

 

[beb444]

I have a little silkie who just does not seem to fit in with her flock. She does have a pretty good scissor beak, but she is always on her own. She will eat the food in the pen only when the other chickens are away, I went out to check on her today and she was huddled in a corner all alone while the other chickens were tucked nice and tight together. I felt bad so I brought her inside and she is in a cat carrier (when I am not cuddling with her). Mind you I live in Maine so it is really cold outside right now. I am not sure what I can do to help her flock with the other birds I would just keep her with us in here but is she even gonna be ok? And if so, will she be fine to just be a single chicken hanging out with people and dogs, or am I setting her up to be sad with no other chickens?

She is 4 months old

I just had a 9 week old cross beak chick die But I think I can help you because I have experience with this. So mine was always off by her own too during the day when the rest were outside playing because she just needed to be constantly trying to eat because the poor thing had so much difficulty. So that could be part of it-she just needs more time to eat. And with her being in the corner-well I'm not sure if yours is smaller than the rest but mine was honestly 1/4 the size and didn't have all of her feathers in so she would stay in her house to stay warm. I didn't want to separate mine because I thought she would be lonely because my mom was not going to let her be inside-but if you can, I would buy her a diaper and let her stay inside with you all. My chickens were good about huddling with her though and putting her under their wings at night to keep her warm. I honesty tried everything to keep her happy and healthy but she couldn't hold on(like I said earlier she was very deprived of food and was very small, so this probably won't happen to yours as long as she's eating.) At some point, even though it's hard, she's a chicken and is meant to be outside with her flock, and confining her inside might make her sad. In saying that however, make sure she's not suffering outside, and you could always put her out in the day and in at night. I hope you have better luck then I did! It's always the special ones that eat up our attention that become our favorites Also sorry I was all over the place in this-it was sorta hard to make this make sense and flow)