Silkie thread!

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I had a Silkie that hatched out one light yellow chick. I gave her 7 more chicks I hatched out around the same time - when they were all 2 days old. She accepted 6 of them and took exception to one - and only one. It was a black and white sumatra chick. The others (Partridge Wyandotte, Silkie, Welsummer) were all accepted no problem. I think they reject it when they don't know what it is, or when it is not an acceptable color? She pecked it an chased it away from the other chicks - protecting them from the intruder.

Another story. White Game hen of my mothers. She was the loosing broody when two hens hatched out a nest of eggs - the other hen got all the chicks when the feathers stopped flying. The looser was pretty beat up so my mother brought her inside to clean her off and let her recover (games can be MEAN). My mom was also brooding a bunch of random hatchery chicks. The looser broody insisted on getting out of her nice comfy box and into the brooder with the chicks - and singled out about 7 of them that became "hers". The only problem was - these chicks were already over a week old - and they didn't listen to her. She would be frantically following them around when they yelled - instead of them coming to her when she called them. She gave up on them about 3 weeks old - I guess she had had it? She adopted a bunch of different ones, including a turken (naked neck) so I don't think she cared what breed they were. They were white, brown, black and yellow as I recall.

The only thing you can do is try. Do it right after they dry out from hatching or in the first day, that way they will listen to the mommy too. If you can - put them under her at night. If you can't - put them right in front of her - and watch what she does. Sometimes she will peck on it once - to hear the peep - then tuck them underneath them. Peep says "chick" - says put under for safety. If she make the warning noise (RRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.. high to low, also called a growl) and puffs out her neck feathers and gets big an puffy at the chick and - remove it. Do this with each chick - and you will see if she will accept them or not.
 
I think my paint roo has some serious problems. He runs off my silkie hens when they try to get close to them. He doesn't try to mount them. He literally runs them off! LOL! He stays around the non bearded paint juvenile that I bought with him, but that's it.
 
ChickNmamma said:
I had a Silkie that hatched out one light yellow chick.  I gave her 7 more chicks I hatched out around the same time - when they were all 2 days old.  She accepted 6 of them and took exception to one - and only one.  It was a black and white sumatra chick.  The others (Partridge Wyandotte, Silkie, Welsummer) were all accepted no problem.  I think they reject it when they don't know what it is, or when it is not an acceptable color?  She pecked it an chased it away from the other chicks - protecting them from the intruder.

Another story.  White Game hen of my mothers.  She was the loosing broody when two hens hatched out a nest of eggs - the other hen got all the chicks when the feathers stopped flying.  The looser was pretty beat up so my mother brought her inside to clean her off and let her recover (games can be MEAN).  My mom was also brooding a bunch of random hatchery chicks.  The looser broody insisted on getting out of her nice comfy box and into the brooder with the chicks - and singled out about 7 of them that became "hers".  The only problem was - these chicks were already over a week old - and they didn't listen to her.  She would be frantically following them around when they yelled - instead of them coming to her when she called them.  She gave up on them about 3 weeks old - I guess she had had it?  She adopted a bunch of different ones, including a turken (naked neck) so I don't think she cared what breed they were.  They were white, brown, black and yellow as I recall.

The only thing you can do is try.  Do it right after they dry out from hatching or in the first day, that way they will listen to the mommy too.  If you can - put them under her at night.  If you can't - put them right in front of her - and watch what she does.  Sometimes she will peck on it once - to hear the peep - then tuck them underneath them.  Peep says "chick" - says put under for safety.  If she make the warning noise (RRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.. high to low, also called a growl) and puffs out her neck feathers and gets big an puffy at the chick  and - remove it.  Do this with each chick - and you will see if she will accept them or not.
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Ok thanks. To late to do right after hatching tho.
 
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Well one hatched yesterday hasn't started eating and drinking yet. Then anywhere from a few days to over a week. I went ahead and put a add to find them a home rather then add more to the coop. Even if I do get a hen to accept them then when they got a little older would I be able to put them all together, so for a second time I would have to worry about them getting hurt. There is one egg left I don't think it's any good will candle and water test tomorrow. I do want to keep Penelope so I have to try to get her accepted but I could wait till she's older.
 
B J Hopkins said:
Don't blame you for not fully trusting the local swap. I've had people sell cockrells as pollets, Partridge sold as Blue's. Old sold as young. I'm a bit smarter now.
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I worry about diseases more than anything. Plus you're right about the sexing on them. I've bought a few and they've tried to sell me EE roosters as hens more than anything else. And with silkies I would be completely lost!
 

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