Are chicks safe in the yard with the hen?

I am full of questions at times.

I ordered eight fertile partridge silkie eggs to be hatched by my silkie hens. Two hens are setting on four eggs each. They are due to hatch in a week.

Is it ok for the chicks to walk around in the yard with the hen during the day, or should I keep them safe in a cage in the yard? I had some trouble with a cat last year that ate two of my chicks. Some months ago he was again in the yard harrassing the hens. I haven't seen him lately, but he's probably still in the neighborhood.

So there's my question.

They are in my backyard in town, and it has a six foot fence all around. They are all locked up each night in a small coop I built for them.

Since you are the chicken experts, I thought I'd ask you.

PS. Love your pictures and stories.

Too cool.. Silkie moms and Silkie babiez!!

The perfect environment is outside with mom.. but if a cat has tasted chicken meat.. I'd guess it will be back... I had 2 Cochin chicks that Catscan gave me and they were eaten so fast, it's like a blink of an eye!
Can you fashion a chicken tractor for a day pen?
Good luck.. and now we will be wanting pics.. :)

Mom's are pretty darn protective! But no match for an agressive cat. Out side of that though moms really take good care of their babiez. Hay

Well my mind is really turning now. With my first chicken tractor project I kept adding boards here and adding boards there that it's so heavy I cannot move it. I was barely able to scoot it over to the side of the yard, and I never did get the roof put on. So much for that! However, that was my first building project of my entire life. I am now trying to make raised beds for vegetables, and using 2X12X16 boards. lol Who knew they would be so heavy? I had to put other boards under them and cut them on the ground sitting. Hopefully it will turn out as a 12 by 4 foot bed. I tried the winter sowing, and it's wonderful. Some little plants actually grew!!! It's so amazing! I'm so PROUD! lol

Honestly I think this is the kind of living that people need to get back to. It's relaxing. I'm very slow at what I do, but I enjoy it.

I was playing a computer game the other night, and became fascinated by the shelves in this one scene that was set in the 1800s. The end of the shelves were 4X4's and reached to the ceiling and had thick heavy boards for the shelves. It was a storeroom. That looked so cool. I was also studying the patterns of the boards in the floor. Ok, I'm done for now. Honestly.

Anyway, I never noticed any of this before I tried to build something myself. Thanks for helping me.

Oh how sweet. I do love the silkies!!! My father made my tractor. It is on wheels so I can move it easily. He just made a 2x4 square frame and enclosed half and used fencing stapled to the other half for air. Lets see if I have a pic. It was actually very easy, but can be made even easier by a siple triangle design. Those cats can be nasty once they know there is an easy meal. My silkies would be no match for one. I cant wait to see the pics of the babies. Best wishes LFJ.

Well, I have seen one baby. He was right on schedule, 21 days exactly! I took a video of him this morning, and if it's ok to put a link to youtube on here, I'll do that. It's just a minute long, but you can see him, if you'd like.

This is my first baby chick I've ever hatched out. This is also my first upload on youtube.

These eggs came from Steve Wheaton. The hen with the baby raised up a few minutes ago and it was visible to see two other eggs unhatched, the hatched out shell, and one other that looks cracked in the middle. Is he coming out? )

The other black hen, also has four eggs, and has not budged at all this morning. She just sits there so determinedly.

It's really hard for me to be patient, but I know I need to leave them alone as much as possible.

Well, nobody answered me about posting a link to youtube, so I guess it's ok.

Here is the first baby. I've seen two more, but don't have a video of them yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGH7lrT8xvw

The black hen is setting on 4 eggs too, and she's hatched out two babies I've seen. One is a partridge, yet the other seems to have a very blond looking head. I've only seen his head so far. Wonder if Steve snuck in a different color on me. :) That would be fine if he did.

It's so hard to be patient

Oh what a cute video!! I love that snuggly wiggle the babiez do to get under mom.. that is great!

Keep the pics coming! I can watch that all day! well.. almost.. LOL

Steve Wheat.. sorry I got his name wrong before... sent me an odd ball egg. That little chick is yellow/buff. He said he couldn't remember what he sent me. I am so hoping it's a buff silkie. He has some gorgeous birds. His ad said 6 plus hatching eggs. Guess that's the plus part.

He really stands out from the others. The other five I've seen are partridge and then there's that little yellow chicken. He seems bigger than the others too. He said it may be a cochin. If it is not a silkie it'll be my first chicken that isn't one. Maybe he's trying to expand my horizons.

I saw some pictures of the modern game hen on Poultry Press the other day. They were so cute. I also saw some crazy looking chickens on a reality show not long ago, in Brazil. Surely I was not the only one watching that chicken. They have some crazy looking cows in Brazil too, that are different than the ones in Texas. I liked their chickens and cows.

All around the world people have chickens. Isn't that something? and each area they are a bit different.

Is this a lifetime addiction or just temporary?

I hope it's a lifetime... my chickens have brought joy to my life... I hope it never ends.

I have Modern Game Bantams.. they are a crack up.. very sweet. They are "hard feathered" and when you pick one up, you need no explanation as to what that is.. they are solid.. their feathers are not fluffy.. I love mine! Here is Superman.