Hens do fly – not far but far enough to fly into and out of trouble.  The silkie chicks practice flying in their run and seem to enjoy bumping into each other.  Mother hen is still protective and they rush to her side whenever Jeremy or I get too close to them.  She is unaware that the eggs on which she sat came from another hen and that, genetically, they are not her babies.  Nevertheless she is a wonderful surrogate mother and the chicks know no other.