Silkie thread!

Here are my 3 silkies, they're a week old today. I just love them so much!

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Sure makes sense on the mommy sharing! But my hens never liked having other momma's around! I can't count how many fights I've had to break up! One of the momma's would have feathers sticking out of her beak and I'd say: "Look? You even have the evidence in your beak that you were whooping up on her! Shame on you!" She didn't care to say the least! Just clucked at me!

TC

Ha! They can definitely be hard headed. I had two silkies last summer that had about 20 babies between them. One day they bickered, the next they were fine. Just had to figure out who the big boss was. One mother would call from one side of our coop and all the babies would go running over...then the other mother would call and they'd go running back. It was the cutest little parade ever. Everyone made it and were healthy. My next explosion of chicks just got set under 9 broody girls and I filled both of my incubators so this should be fun. Our warm "winter" in Nevada this year has been crazy. 65' days in January and February makes it hard to take a break from hatching.
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Happy babies! I always try to get mothers to share chicks. We hatch year round and the more mothers, the warmer and safer the chicks are. Occasionally one broody might pull rank and kick the other mother out, but that's few and far between. A team takes some of the stress away. I let my mothers raise babies out with my flock of 100+ chickens, and I've never had a flock member kill a baby. They may just be used to always having siblings around?? Hundreds of chicks and a few years in and they're all still kicking. Lol
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In reviews I've read about owners with large flocks and big spaces there seems to be less problems or else too many chickens are around to really notice problems. But some of us with only 4 or 5 chickens and limited backyard space have more issues or maybe it's because we notice more details with such a small flock. However, in a smaller flock baby chicks could be in jeopardy from flock adults and better to be safe than sorry and keep the momma/s & chicks in a separate tractor or pen so there's definitely no exposure of babies to the other adults.
 
In reviews I've read about owners with large flocks and big spaces there seems to be less problems or else too many chickens are around to really notice problems.  But some of us with only 4 or 5 chickens and limited backyard space have more issues or maybe it's because we notice more details with such a small flock.  However, in a smaller flock baby chicks could be in jeopardy from flock adults and better to be safe than sorry and keep the momma/s & chicks in a separate tractor or pen so there's definitely no exposure of babies to the other adults.

For sure! I could totally see the space issue or smaller coops. I think as long as it's not the lowest hen in the pecking order too. I have a few breeder coops with small coops and smaller runs that have had babies also. It's all about feeling out your hens and their attitude. I sell more aggressive hens because my kids like to pull eggs. If they don't tolerate small children reaching in to pet them and grab eggs then they go. These chickens are funny little creatures! :D
 
Looks a lot like my first two birds are they from Florida by chance? Here's our Freedom and Liberty the fourth of July chicks! Liberty has the pony tail.
She does look a lot like yours pictured and no, not from Florida. I live in North Idaho and got some hatching eggs from a breeder in Tri-Cities, WA. Your Silkies are adorable!!
Nancy
 

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