Silkie hen successfully raising a single chick?

[gritsar]

My tiny little silkie Jethro finally hatched a chick this morning. It's her second time being broody, first success. She has two more eggs, but I'm afraid they won't hatch.

In that coop there are 3 three month old chicks (cockerels), 3 four week old chicks and another set due to hatch Thursday. All these chicks have been hatched by SFs. My SFs have so far stopped mothering their chicks around the 4 week old mark. The chicks have done fine with their hatchmates to depend on.

Can Jethro successfully raise a singleton chick? I'm not sure how long silkies continue to mother their chicks, but once she kicks it loose it won't have hatchmates to hang with as the others have done.

I have given some thought to traveling to another town tomorrow where I know they have chicks available and getting Jethro a few banties to add to her clutch, but really don't want to have to for several reasons.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I think she'll be fine.

Not a silkie, but Mary (The Warden) has had an Icelandic hen raise a single chick. And the same mother is repeating the process with her latest chick.

 

[gritsar]

Thanks Happy. I've named the chick Uno, but I'll give Jethro another day or so with the other 2 eggs; unless she kicks them out of the nest.

 

[J.S. Webb]

I think the chick will be fine. Silkies are great mothers.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I have had a couple hens raise single chicks. While I felt bad for them, once mom kicked them to the curb - they did fine.


Course I do watch out for them and tuck them into a kennel at night if I feel they could use a bit of protection.

 

[ruby]

one of my Silkies did fine with one chick.

 

[gritsar]

Thanks y'all

I really don't want to buy her additional chicks when I already have chicks coming out my ears, most with naked necks.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I should add that I have a pullet hatched 1/1/11 that I kept. (got rid of the other 3 that hatched with her) She now assumes she is a "baby" like the 7 week old chicks I have and has integrated herself with them. They are terrified of her as she's 4X their size, but she seems happy.

She should start laying in late May/early June.

 

[gryeyes]

My very first GrandChick was a solo hatch, and the BO who hatched her was wonderful at raising her. I don't know if that translates well to silkies, but ....... just sayin'.

 

[gritsar]

Thanks again y'all. I've removed the other two eggs from under Jethro this morning. They were obviously no good. I was going to leave them until tomorrow, just in case, but Jethro was still in full broody mode and it was time for her to come out of her trance and tend to Uno.