Unselfish silkies

[Mr Clean Kansas]

I have a disabled olive egger hen. She has a deformed neck that prevents her from holding her head up. She is in a coop with other chicks she was hatched with that are about six weeks old. There are 20 of them. She has survived and developed at the same rate as her coop mates. The only thing she can not do is get up on the roost. I noticed last week that 2 of the 4 silkies in the flock stay on the floor of the coop with her and huddle together with her at night. They seem to watch over her and stay close to her all the time. I have raised chickens for about 40 years

and never seen this type of behavior. This is the first time I have raised silkies. The rest of the flock consists of marans, olive Eggers, speckled Sussex and silkies. Just curious if anyone else has experienced this type of behavior in their flock? The attached photo shows the three amigos huddled together under the roost.

 

[CarpCharacin]

Welcome to BYC!
I've moved your thread to the Chicken Behaviors section, I think you'll get more assistance there

 

[Stacyoung13]

Silkies are amazing critters. I had 10 baby silkies less than a week old out in the play pen with my 6 week old Silkie. It started cooling off some and the babies started crying and huddling together, Buffy (6 week old), went over and tried getting as many as possible up under her like a mama hen. My baby was protecting my smaller babies

She done a good job of getting all those babies covered. I’m not surprised that they are mothering the other. You you have a beautiful flock.

 

[Mr Clean Kansas]

Silkies are amazing critters. I had 10 baby silkies less than a week old out in the play pen with my 6 week old Silkie. It started cooling off some and the babies started crying and huddling together, Buffy (6 week old), went over and tried getting as many as possible up under her like a mama hen. My baby was protecting my smaller babies
View attachment 1729062 View attachment 1729065
She done a good job of getting all those babies covered. I’m not surprised that they are mothering the other. You you have a beautiful flock.

Thank you. I also have another flock of 16 white silkies that are 4 weeks old and 19 partridge cochin bantams. Very fun to watch. Also a three week old batch of gold laced polish. Got started hatching eggs and got addicted.

 

[Mr Clean Kansas]

Than

Welcome to BYC!
I've moved your thread to the Chicken Behaviors section, I think you'll get more assistance there

Thank you. I am just figuring out the site and put in wrong place accidentally.

 

[Stacyoung13]

Thank you. I also have another flock of 16 white silkies that are 4 weeks old and 19 partridge cochin bantams. Very fun to watch. Also a three week old batch of gold laced polish. Got started hatching eggs and got addicted.View attachment 1729081

I know the feeling. I have my regular meat and egg chickens, then I have 6-1 yr, 1-4 months (Christmas baby) 3-9 weeks, 9-2 weeks, 2-1 weeks Silkies, then I have a 1 yr Polish and 2-5 weeks Polish and 11 Sizzles in the incubator. Yeah I understand the addiction oh yeah I forgot about Gypsy, my black Cochin