Silkie Mom's foot feathers strangle new chick. Beware!

[suebee]

Should say, almost strangled because I got there just in time!
She babies hatched the day before. I have a nanny cam that I was watching in the house and the Silkie mom was acting weird hopping and jumping around. It just didn't look right so I ran out to the coop, picked up the mom and a baby chick was dangling with mom's foot feathers wrapped around it's neck. I quickly got the baby loose and it was choking pretty bad but soon recovered. If I hadn't gotten there when I did, that chick would have probably been dead.
A rare, freak accident for sure, but just keep an eye on Silkie Moms with new babies!

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

Wow !! That is a new one ! I"d of never thought of that. Glad you got there in time.

 

[cheraboo]

Nanny cam saves the day! I never would've thought that could happen. Thanks for mentioning it as one of our Silkies has gone broody and is hoping to be a momma. We'll be sure to keep an eye on her.

 

[suebee]

Yes the nanny cam was worth it's weight in gold that time! Maybe all Silkie broodies should have their foot feathers combed and conditioned with a detangler (or, deStrangler)! Just kidding!
This has never happened before...truly a freak accident.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Wow, that is so strange. Very lucky you have that nanny cam. i have one of those, too.

Other unusual thing that has happened with my silkies is getting their toes all tangled up with one another. When i got my batch of 16 lavender silkies from Ideal in February, i saw several instances of two chicks getting their toes all tangled up with each other, and them flopping around. i had never seen that one before.

Thanks for your post. i have two moms right now, a very fluffy Silkie and a Showgirl. Going to keep my eyes on them.

 

[suebee]

Hey airheart43!! I remember you! Hope you're doing well! Yes, so glad I got that camera. I originally got it to spy on my puppy that was sneaking in and stealing eggs. Really comes in handy, especially fun early in the morning to watch what they're doing before I let them out.
Your issue with the feet tangling is a strange one. Haven't seen that one. I'm just so glad I was watching the cam at the moment...what a horrible death that would have been.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i'm doing well, thank you.

My camera came in really handy a couple year ago when i first let two of my silkies try to hatch some eggs. i just happened to be watching when the first chick hatched. The two broodies must have thought something was trying to get their eggs, as they starting pecking it madly, trying to kill it. That was the last time i let those two girls have any eggs!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

I've had that happen before. Any of the fluffy bottom breeds seem to be prone to that, especially with chicks who really like to cuddle to mommy.

 

[M Claire]

Hello, I am just leaving my story on all of these threads as a warning. Silkies have wonderful mothering instincts, but I have picked six caught babies out our silkie's feathers and today I was too late and lost a beautiful month-old crested polish baby. I will never work with a silkie broody again. Our two pekin bantams always pluck themselves clean and I have never, ever had this problem.