Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[Clodill4rel]

Being patient is worth it ! Just started zipping more on its own finally! I’m watching it the whole time I think it may be backwards I dono.

 

[Elliemae1984]

Ugh. Down another chick. Seems like this one had a broken neck. Wondering if it got it head stuck through the wires of the cage or something. I’m starting to regret my decision to let mom raise all of them

 

[Clodill4rel]

Ugh. Down another chick. Seems like this one had a broken neck. Wondering if it got it head stuck through the wires of the cage or something. I’m starting to regret my decision to let mom raise all of them

Oh no !!!!! That’s so sad I’m sorry! Sheeshhhh can u bring them back inside or somthin so they are safer by chance ?

 

[Elliemae1984]

Oh no !!!!! That’s so sad I’m sorry! Sheeshhhh can u bring them back inside or somthin so they are safer by chance ?

Honestly….not sure what the best move is.

I can keep going as is and hope nothing else happens.

I could take them away from mom and brood myself but I feel like that will be tough on mom and the chicks learn so much being raised by a hen.

I could separate mom and chicks entirely (put them in my smaller mobile coop alone) but I wonder how hard that will make reintroducing mom to her flock in 4-5 weeks (and then the babies after that).

I’m stuck and welcome opinions!

 

[NagemTX]

Honestly….not sure what the best move is.

I can keep going as is and hope nothing else happens.

I could take them away from mom and brood myself but I feel like that will be tough on mom and the chicks learn so much being raised by a hen.

I could separate mom and chicks entirely (put them in my smaller mobile coop alone) but I wonder how hard that will make reintroducing mom to her flock in 4-5 weeks (and then the babies after that).

I’m stuck and welcome opinions!

If the flock has access to them say a hardware cloth partition where they can still be kinda a part of the flock but separate it can work. That's how I had my two Phoenix brood a year or so ago. Had no issues with reintegration of mom or juveniles.

 

[Elliemae1984]

If the flock has access to them say a hardware cloth partition where they can still be kinda a part of the flock but separate it can work. That's how I had my two Phoenix brood a year or so ago. Had no issues with reintegration of mom or juveniles.

I wish I was set up that well!

Or rather, I wish my property wasn’t practically flooded right now so I could move things around to be set up like that. It’ll probably be a week or two before I can move my small coop (it’s a tractor coop) next to the run so they can have sight access.

Think it would work if they get “reintroduced” via the hardware cloth method starting at week 3-4?

 

[Clodill4rel]

Honestly….not sure what the best move is.

I can keep going as is and hope nothing else happens.

I could take them away from mom and brood myself but I feel like that will be tough on mom and the chicks learn so much being raised by a hen.

I could separate mom and chicks entirely (put them in my smaller mobile coop alone) but I wonder how hard that will make reintroducing mom to her flock in 4-5 weeks (and then the babies after that).

I’m stuck and welcome opinions!

I’m for separating mom with babies and reintroducing them to the flock later.

 

[Hinotori]

So our chicks are hatching!!! And kiwi girl has been steady laying on fake eggs outside so imma sneak some under her either tonight or tomorrow; ) we have three so far but does this one look strange like it could be not positioned correctly? It’s not a silky it’s an Ee and Obviously imma leave it because it’s only been since lastnight it pip. And there are 4 other eggs in the incubator with two hatched chicks. I haven’t touched it or opened the container I just think it looks a bit off to me….. what do you all think?

I've had them pip wrong end and in the middle and hatch fine. Unless they've been way too long at the pip stage I don't interfere to peel them.

 

[NagemTX]

I wish I was set up that well!

Or rather, I wish my property wasn’t practically flooded right now so I could move things around to be set up like that. It’ll probably be a week or two before I can move my small coop (it’s a tractor coop) next to the run so they can have sight access.

Think it would work if they get “reintroduced” via the hardware cloth method starting at week 3-4?

That would work as well. And I'm not really set up that well. I don't have traditional coops they are all the open air Amazon runs with tarps on the back 1/3rd where the nesting boxes and roosts are.

 

[Elliemae1984]

That would work as well. And I'm not really set up that well. I don't have traditional coops they are all the open air Amazon runs with tarps on the back 1/3rd where the nesting boxes and roosts are.

Then it’s settled! I’m separating them tonight. Will actually give me a lot of peace of mind given recent events.

Thank you!!