New Chicks and “Imprinting”

[Ghoastie]

We’re super new chicken owners and I’m sure we’re doing just about everything wrong. We have two 10 day old silkies we got at 2 days old. The partridge silkie is acting in ways that make me think it might be a cockerel. While the first day or two it would dive under the other silkie when we reached in their pen, it’s started charging at us, especially if we’re reaching for its flockmate. We’re not allowed to keep Roos, so I’m super concerned. I know silkies are very difficult to sex early, but can pullets act like this?

This leads to my next set of questions. We have a 2.5 yo little girl. All she wants to do is play with and hold the baby chickens. They, of course, are terrified. Does anyone have any hints on how to smooth their interactions over?

Secondly, we got the chicks so young because we were told that was the best way to get them to imprint on us. After doing a bunch of research, I’m seeing that chickens don’t imprint the same way ducks and geese do. If we have to replace the partridge, do we need to start back at the age of freshly hatched chicks? I want them to think of us (and the kiddo especially) as part of the flock.

Lastly, if the partridge is a cockerel, any tips on how to tell the kiddo that he has to find a new home? Any tips on finding him a new home? I got these chicks as pets and I’d feel bad putting him in a stew pot.

Picture of chicks for attention.

 

[obicat]

Silkies are hard to sex. Behaviour can be a clue and bolshy behaviour like that would have me thinking cockerel, but you can get very confident hens as well so all is not lost.

Silkies are reknowned for being lovely natured. Mine are very sweet. I handled them a lot as babies and now they are out in the big coop they havent forgotten that. They all come to call because they know I am the food lady. Chickens are easily bought with food!

If you need to replace one, then go with another one the same age. I find mine super laid back but one nearly adult and one small chick is a bad mix. I introduce my chicks young at about 4 weeks but always in small groups so they have back up.

And tell the little one the truth. You raised this lovely chick from being very young but he cant stay with you as hes a boy and needs a flock of ladies.

Theres no reason she cant handle the chicks now so long as you supervise carefully. Get her to sit down with a towel over her legs and place the chicks on her with some really tasty treats. She can softly stroke them while they eat and when shes used to them she can start to hand feed them. Honestly, food is always the way to go!

 

[OneLuckeyWife]

I had got silkie eggs and tried to hatch them. Only one hatched.

Very hard to sex because their feathers are more like hair. Mine turned out to be a pullet.

My daughter was a little over a year old and I let her hold the baby chick and she’s been very good with all our chicks. I put them on the living room table with a towel under them so she can pet them. I wait until they are about 3-4 weeks old.

My silkie was very much a house chicken. She would run back inside if I tried to put her outside and would stay at my feet around the house. If I called her name she would run to me and cheep. If I was cooking and hit the pan with the spatula she would boc as many times as I hit the pan.

I think she was so attached to me because she was born alone. I didn’t want her to be lonely so I keep her with me a lot of the time. As a new baby chick I would take a towel and put it in my bra and place her in so she’d be warm and could snuggle. It was recommended by the lady I got the eggs from. I tried to hatch more silkie eggs but they didn’t hatch.

She suddenly died at 5 months old with no warning at all.

 

[Ghoastie]

I had got silkie eggs and tried to hatch them. Only one hatched.

Very hard to sex because their feathers are more like hair. Mine turned out to be a pullet.

My daughter was a little over a year old and I let her hold the baby chick and she’s been very good with all our chicks. I put them on the living room table with a towel under them so she can pet them. I wait until they are about 3-4 weeks old.

My silkie was very much a house chicken. She would run back inside if I tried to put her outside and would stay at my feet around the house. If I called her name she would run to me and cheep. If I was cooking and hit the pan with the spatula she would boc as many times as I hit the pan.

I think she was so attached to me because she was born alone. I didn’t want her to be lonely so I keep her with me a lot of the time. As a new baby chick I would take a towel and put it in my bra and place her in so she’d be warm and could snuggle. It was recommended by the lady I got the eggs from. I tried to hatch more silkie eggs but they didn’t hatch.

She suddenly died at 5 months old with no warning at all.

Hmmm... I might try the bra thing. I've lost a bunch of weight, so I'm pretty sure no one would notice if I supplemented with a chick in each side in one of my old bras.

 

[JamezzEmerald]

We’re super new chicken owners and I’m sure we’re doing just about everything wrong. We have two 10 day old silkies we got at 2 days old. The partridge silkie is acting in ways that make me think it might be a cockerel. While the first day or two it would dive under the other silkie when we reached in their pen, it’s started charging at us, especially if we’re reaching for its flockmate. We’re not allowed to keep Roos, so I’m super concerned. I know silkies are very difficult to sex early, but can pullets act like this?

This leads to my next set of questions. We have a 2.5 yo little girl. All she wants to do is play with and hold the baby chickens. They, of course, are terrified. Does anyone have any hints on how to smooth their interactions over?

Secondly, we got the chicks so young because we were told that was the best way to get them to imprint on us. After doing a bunch of research, I’m seeing that chickens don’t imprint the same way ducks and geese do. If we have to replace the partridge, do we need to start back at the age of freshly hatched chicks? I want them to think of us (and the kiddo especially) as part of the flock.

Lastly, if the partridge is a cockerel, any tips on how to tell the kiddo that he has to find a new home? Any tips on finding him a new home? I got these chicks as pets and I’d feel bad putting him in a stew pot.

Picture of chicks for attention.

Hmmm... I might try the bra thing. I've lost a bunch of weight, so I'm pretty sure no one would notice if I supplemented with a chick in each side in one of my old bras.

For best results to get chickens to imprint start mothering each one as soon as they hatch or arrive.... By mothering I mean .... 1. Use your voice soft and use a repetitive phrase they will get use to faster than a bunch of different random words...
2. Start handling each one and worming them with your body heat... Some will calm faster than others....
3. Always feed them manually NEVER LEAVE FOOD FOR THEM IN A FEEDER! You want them to depend on you! And always scratch around and teach them how to eat.... Always... And let them run around on u and become aware that your the head leader and mother and feeder.... Keep treats for them once they can eat them & always treat them once a day but let them eat from your hand.... They eventually will be your baby's & be social once they are older u can really talk and let them Koo BACK... Remember each bird has its own unique personality and u should cater to them as u would any family pet.... Love attention and assertively.... Awareness of the difference in each bird give u better understanding of them as a whole.... Much luv and if anyone else needs some mptherclucking info on chicks I got your back...