Eggie500
Hatching
- Aug 9, 2015
- 1
- 0
- 7
Ok, so this is my first question asked on here and would love to hear your thoughts
I have a mother hen (silkie) who hatched out her first chicks about 10 days ago. So far so good. For the first week they have been kept in a seperate run where they hatched out, and have been let out once a day, but mumma has been quite reluctant to free range. However this morning I went out there and she was sitting by the gate so I let her and the babies out. They have been enjoying the sunshine and foraging. Sound great right?
Now hear is my dilemma............
Whilst mumma was brooding, her adoptive friend (another silkie pullet, named Chip) sat with her, the whole time... Day in, day out, they were inseparable. I tried to put Chip in with the other girls but they would cry for each other, so obviously, they had something going on, so I let them stay together. Fast foward to hatch day and mumma took on her duties as all good mother hens do, and Chip had been sidelined. She would sit on the outer fence watching and barely seemed to move. All day she would sit and watch. I have let her in a few times but she is quite aggressive to the chicks, not only pecking but chasing them aswell. So on todays little adventure, Chip took it upon herself to harass the chicks, and mumma just let her!!!
Mumma will puff up and chase the other girls away (who, mind you have been quite accepting) but let Chip forrage beside her and chase her chicks away! I dont know, I wanted to let them intergrate and work it all out as soon as possible but they are just too small for such harrassment. Bear in mind Chip is at the bottom of the pecking order, is she just trying to establish this with the chicks, or does she really not like them? Whats with the chasing? That to me would suggest she's really not that into them. Is she insanely jealous that her BFF has other commitments, LOL.
So..... Do I now have to keep the chicks and mum separate for longer, that would seem like the sensible thing to do, but on the other hand, should I isolate the trouble maker for a while? What to do, what to do.......
I have a mother hen (silkie) who hatched out her first chicks about 10 days ago. So far so good. For the first week they have been kept in a seperate run where they hatched out, and have been let out once a day, but mumma has been quite reluctant to free range. However this morning I went out there and she was sitting by the gate so I let her and the babies out. They have been enjoying the sunshine and foraging. Sound great right?
Now hear is my dilemma............
Whilst mumma was brooding, her adoptive friend (another silkie pullet, named Chip) sat with her, the whole time... Day in, day out, they were inseparable. I tried to put Chip in with the other girls but they would cry for each other, so obviously, they had something going on, so I let them stay together. Fast foward to hatch day and mumma took on her duties as all good mother hens do, and Chip had been sidelined. She would sit on the outer fence watching and barely seemed to move. All day she would sit and watch. I have let her in a few times but she is quite aggressive to the chicks, not only pecking but chasing them aswell. So on todays little adventure, Chip took it upon herself to harass the chicks, and mumma just let her!!!
Mumma will puff up and chase the other girls away (who, mind you have been quite accepting) but let Chip forrage beside her and chase her chicks away! I dont know, I wanted to let them intergrate and work it all out as soon as possible but they are just too small for such harrassment. Bear in mind Chip is at the bottom of the pecking order, is she just trying to establish this with the chicks, or does she really not like them? Whats with the chasing? That to me would suggest she's really not that into them. Is she insanely jealous that her BFF has other commitments, LOL.
So..... Do I now have to keep the chicks and mum separate for longer, that would seem like the sensible thing to do, but on the other hand, should I isolate the trouble maker for a while? What to do, what to do.......
