New silkie owner

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Hi and welcome to BYC! :welcome:wee

Mshine92 said:
Hi guys! I'm a new chicken mom, yesterday adopted two 4 month old silkies from a crowded environment. I have sooooo many questions, it's like having a child- maybe not as much but I'm like high stress on making sure they're okay. They're so far safe in my garage on some sawdust- the delivery of their coop is being delayed a week for shipping issues, but I am also considering keeping them in my garage long term for where their coop stays and letting them out into the backyard for a couple hours a day. I say this because my garage is concrete, but also temperature controlled, a d I live in goodyear arizona with harsh heat and winters. Theyre eating crumble with probiotics in it, they have a separate bowl of grit, and a no drown water bowl- even tho it seems like they're big enough to not drown in their own. I'm a vet tech so high alert about disease, their stool appear normal, I have a black one and tan, the black ones stool is formed, the tan ones stool is more runny. No blood in it. ( Coccidiosis ran thru my mind) I am slightly concerned about their tail region feathers ( sorry, still learning all the terms), they seem to not have grown in yet but there are pin feathers in place. They look better than when I first picked them up- they've been actively cleaning themselves since they got comfortable in their new home yesterday, so I am wondering if it was the stress of being raised with 35 other chickens in what seemed like a 12x12 box with only hay .i have checked for ectoparasites, and do not see any at all. Attached is a pic from when I first picked them up. This is the tan one. Same appearance on the black one.any advice? Or do they just need some time?
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Those tail feathers are not normal. This happened with one of my hens when they were about 6 or 7 weeks, her sisters would try to eat her tail feathers and then for some reason she would eat her own as well! Your silkie probably just got picked on a little. If there is blood, you can remove it gently with a damp warm towel. But otherwise, just give it time and they will grow in in their next molt. Best of luck in your future with chickens!
 

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