Am i being a big baby?

[silkiechick05]

Quote:
OH yes. I was wondering when someone would ask. We have the stupid coop built, but no wire on it yet. It is going to have to wait until i'm off for christmas to. They are in a dog crate with a plastic covering to keep the drafts out.

BTW they lay under the lamp most of the time...

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
OH yes. I was wondering when someone would ask. We have the stupid coop built, but no wire on it yet. It is going to have to wait until i'm off for christmas to. They are in a dog crate with a plastic covering to keep the drafts out.

BTW they lay under the lamp most of the time...

Well if you start weaning them off the lamp now, they'll be all ready for the coop when it's done.

 

[aalbury]

If the temps drop dramatically for any animal it's going to be harder on them. I don't know a lot about silkies other than they are cute-as-all-get-out, but they don't look like a hardy type.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Dito. I have Chicks hatched the first week of October, so they would be just now 8 weeks old....it has been freezing several nights this week and they just came off the lamp for good. They sleep all huddled up, but everyone has plenty of feathers and their pen is 3-walled so they can get out of any winds.

I'd been letting them keep it a bit longer than usual, due to the cold, but just so happened that I can't run my indoor heater and my outdoor heat lamp at the same time. I'm a big weeenie, the chicks can "get tough or die" as my dad would say.

Was already planning a bit of rewiring, guess it'll include a SEPARATE circut for the outdoor outlet

 

[Akane]

Fluffy breeds like silkies are plenty hardy. Most animals will adjust so long as they've had temp changes to get used to. It does get a bit hard on them during the late winter early spring here when sometimes it will change more than 20F between day and night and more than 30F over the week. We're still talking below freezing temps though. It's a normal summer to hit 90 one week and 60 the next and that causes no problems for the animals. The 90F with high humidity is a bigger issue.

 

[Daisygirl]

My girls were in the garage at 6 weeks and out on the lawn in the torrential rain at 6 and a half...from 1 day to five weeks they were in the guest room, which is basically the fanciest room in the house - - - ensuite bathroom, double bed, kitchen, walk in wardrobe and a home theartre...plus my vege garden out the window. My girls were spoilt rotton...
Mabe you could issue chicken-style jumpers?? or let them out in the day, and bring them back in at night?

 

[Soccer Mom]

I'd start weaning them off the light during the daytime hours, but probably not until Sunday. We should be past the worst parts by then.

 

[silkiechick05]

Good ideas everyone.

I will start weaning them off, after the weather clears up a little.

I feel bad that they haven't gotten out, but when outside, they just stand there because it's so cold!

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Silkie chicks are not fully protected in my opinion. Their feathers are UNLIKE a feathered out chick.

They do not have the feather cover and I there for think that they need the lamp at night and to be weaned off the heat as a normal brooder enclosure should. 5 degrees for every week of life starting at 95 degrees for the first week.

During the day let us say at 10 weeks this would be about 50 degrees and that is just fine. But, I would think at night they need a bit of heat, especially if they just stand around in the run during the day.

My silkies form the "silkie pile" every night for warmth and a big 'ol cochin rooster supplies most of their heat and he LOVES to be with the silkies.

 

[gsim]

Whatever you do, be sure to do it gradually. Chooks of all breeds can become stressed when faced with sudden change. Stress is to be avoided if possible.