What to do with a Bad Mother

[susancarol]

Here is my dilemma.


Usually is just let the hens raise the chicks. Then I got silkies. They are great sitters. However, the mother killed all three of her chicks in her first batch. In the 2nd batch, I removed the chicks. Now we have a third batch today. The chicks for the first time are being tell take care of but there are only 24 hours old. My mother says some animals are just bad mothers. My sister says to get the chicks right out of there. I say that the newbie mother had to burn a couple of batches as a learning process.


Right now I am monitoring them carefully. The chicks look great.

Can anyone advise what to do. Should I remove them from their mother.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

I would let the hen do her thing and keep an eye on them, young hens sometimes have no idea what they are doing.

 

[sourland]

If it appears that she is taking proper care of them, why remove them? If she took care of the first brood for a while and then killed them, remove the chicks. If the second scenario is the correct one, not only would I remove the chicks, but I would also never hatch any of her eggs. Mothering capability is an inherited trait.

 

[susancarol]

I understand silkies are good layers and bad mothers. I just don't like raising chick silkies. They never get feathers on them so i end up babying them for weeks and weeks. These are accidents just to let everyone know. I am just hoping that mother hen has had a long learning curve. I have no surrogates, so I am stuck.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Quote:
Silkies are the opposite, bad layers and great mothers. I am thinking your hen just wasnt sure what to do, it was her first time.

 

[sourland]

Absolutely, silkies are sporadic layers and incredible broodies and mothers. I have had silkies hatch and raise: chicks of every breed, ring neck pheasants, guinea fowl, ducklings and ornamental pheasants. I never had one that was a bad mother, but mothering ability is a heritable trait.

 

[PepsNick]

I agree with above. But KEEP AN EYE! You never know what those crazy broodies are gonna be up to next.

 

[susancarol]

I just checked them and the chickens are doing fine. I just felt the mother's crop and it was really swishy...like a water ballon. I know she has eaten for the first time in week.

Everyone is so nice here and i appreciate everyone's help.

 

[debilorrah]

Please keep in mind that silkies are incredibly stupid. Yes, they are sweet, pretty, soft, friendly. But they are STUPID. They are the blondes of the chicken world (generalization - no offense to blondes). Polish chickens are the barnyard clowns.

She probably just didn't get it.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:

I hope you continue to feel that way!!! There are ALOT of really awesome people here.