May 08, 2010

One week later...

Elvis is a very chirpy lil girl. I'll be very surprised if Elvis is a male. Based on my past experience female Silkies are nervous and skittish as chicks and the males are strong and silent types even at a week old.

She loves to be held and if she could, would be with me 24/7. I do wonder how Elvis will develop since she is a lone chick and chickens are social animals.  Is there an only chick syndrome? Will she be spoiled and needy and very confused? I take her outside to keep her in touch with PeeWee and Fuzztop but not much bonding happens. I don't want a situation where she ends up like Twinkie. However, the situation is different in that Elvis is bonding with me, unlike Twinkie who had a mother hen and chick mates. I think as long as I am outside when she is foraging she'll be fine.  PeeWee foraged alone for several weeks.

I have thought of getting another chick but since Silkies are not sex-linked, I don't want to mistakenly pick out a rooster only to re-home him later. I still have spend a lot of time observing a Silkie chick before I can determine what sex it is. I have had a full week with Elvis.  I have thought of finding a chick her age of a different breed that is sex-linked but the problem there is PeeWee and Fuzztop (maybe even Elvis) rejecting her as I have heard Silkies, as benign as they are, prefer the company of other Silkies.

Fuzztop and PeeWee are in the middle of a molt so interactions with Elvis are just not a focus. They want cat food and to be left alone until my yard is covered with white feathers. But Elvis and I are having a nice time and it mealts my heart to see her fall asleep on my hand.

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