Do silkies do well in cold weather?

[thiebert]

I currently have two summer coops set up. One for my silkies and one for my other hens/rooster. My husband is building a new insulated coop for the winter. (I'm in Canada where it can go as low as -40) I was planning on putting them all together in the coop to keep warm but when I spoke to someone today they told me that silkies do not do well in cold weather! So now I'm panicked! Are silkies that much different from other breeds? I was planning on putting a heat lamp in there thinking that together with the heat from the other chickens they would do fine.

 

[QueenMisha]

Silkies definitely don't tolerate cold as well as other breeds. Usually I would say above zero and they're fine with no help, but in your case I definitely recommend a heat lamp. I would install flat, wide roosts as well. Definitely do not let them outside during any kind of storm, because moreover than their poor tolerance of extreme cold, their feathers are very nonresistant to any kind of rain, snow, or mud.