New silkie owner

[Mshine92]

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?

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
They may have been pecked in the crowded environment. The pin feather will come in where feathers were ripped out. Broken feathers will come in at next molt.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Welcome to our FUN-omenal community!

Best Wishes & Be Well!

 

[Mshine92]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
They may have been pecked in the crowded environment. The pin feather will come in where feathers were ripped out. Broken feathers will come in at next molt.

Cool, that's what I was hoping, thank you!

 

[Grammy60]

Hello and welcome to BYC We are so happy you have joined us.

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to the BYC community.

 

[JedJackson]

Welcome! Sounds like you'll be a great chicken mom. A little extra protein in the form of meal worms might help the new feather grow in better. Best of luck!

 

[Mshine92]

Thank you!!

Welcome! Sounds like you'll be a great chicken mom. A little extra protein in the form of meal worms might help the new feather grow in better. Best of luck!

 

[The Cave]

Welcome! I am also a Silkie momma and a Vet Tech (exciting when I saw ectoparasites used!). Also new to chickens about a year into being a crazy chicken lady. Started with two for egg purposes then a friend got me onto the Silkies and now we have 35 birds and an incubator going right now. I warn you, it is addicting haha!

Would love to see some full body shots of your girls !

 

[ErnieBerley]

feed them boiled eggs.....and watch for MAREK's silkies are very prone to that deadly disease