Please give me advice!!!!!

[leiya]

I have a first time silkie momma, who just sat on 2 eggs, one is hatched and one is hatching now. The mom decided to lay the eggs outside of the coop in a big bucket. My chicken coop has gaps between boards for the walls. They free roam and my backyard has wooden fence that has gaps. I have other chickens, 2 roosters and a duck. My question is, should I take the babies from the mom, to protect the babies. Or leave them and take the chance of them getting killed? If I keep them with mom should I move them from the bucket? They can't get in or out of the bucket. I have a little coop but momma won't be able to get out of it. I think it would be easier to just take them. Will the momma get mad?

 

[aoxa]

Yes the mama will be very upset if you take away her chicks...

If it's not safe for them, I would not hatch again with a broody.

You only have one silkie hen and 2 roosters and a duck? That's not going to be safe for the mom or the babies. I would personally take the mom and brood her along with the babies if I were you.

 

[coffeychicks]

it is a difficult decision to make. moms teach the chicks so much but at the same time nothing beats protections. be warned last time i took chicks from a momma hen she drew blood. they are vicious in protecting their young. maybe can you build something for them that way you have the best of both worlds?? not anything expensive my coops are made out of stuff i founds i think it cost me 50 for tarps and zip ties. but some 2x4s and chicken wire with a small tarp can make a simple A frame pen for them. just my opinion. and if they are in a bucket make sure it doesn't rain in it. that will drown the babies and get them cold. best of luck

 

[leiya]

I also have 2 other hens, I forgot to add them! I didn't think the eggs were fertile, and let her sit on the eggs just to see what would happens I'm new to this. I have already decided in spring I'll let her sit on more eggs, but that's after I fix up a diffrent coop for momma and babies!

 

[aoxa]

Do you have a garage that you can build a safe little area in? Silkies won't escape even simple enclosures.

I'd hate to take her babies from her.. she's put a lot of time into hatching those babies.

 

[leiya]

I don't have a garage! when she started sitting on the 2 eggs, I really thought that she wasn't fertile, but to my surprise they were. I just don't want them to get killed!

 

[aoxa]

I don't have a garage!

when she started sitting on the 2 eggs, I really thought that she wasn't fertile, but to my surprise they were. I just don't want them to get killed!

What about a basement?

 

[leiya]

Nope! Nothing. Next spring I'll be more prepared and will be able to let her keep them. I honestly didn't know the eggs were fertile! She had just started laying!

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I don't see any problem with free ranging them all together, biggest danger is probably the chicks drowning in a squirt of duck crap. But I agree with the the others that said it doesn't hurt to play it safe with young chicks and not to seperate the chicks from the hen.

 

[leiya]

Thanks everyone