American serama thread!

[WVduckchick]

I like that brooder set up! Did the legs come with it? I was thinking of making something to use mine in that way.... however, it's hot to the touch. I fear the chicks would burn the tops of their little heads. A dimmer switch may work for me. I haven't tried a thermometer in my coop yet.

It has 4 legs that are adjustable by 3 heights for them to go under, and then 2 other feet for standing it upright. Depending which corners and directions you stick the feet in, it can stand higher than wide, or wider than high. Chains don’t come with it, but all the feet do.
There are also 2 slip-slots in the back that it can be mounted directly to a wall.

Do you think I need 2 or would 1 be enough? My area is quite open. I am putting thier roost up in the corners of my 8x8 roosting area that opens into the 8x16 enclosed run (I have plastic up on the large windows you see in the picture but my coop a stays about the same temperature as outside minus any wind chills.
This is the roosting area, roost for serama would go in corner on side of window above shelf View attachment 1608633This is the area behind it, I have the smaller windows on the right of picture open for ventilation and everything else gets closed to avoid any drafts blowing through
View attachment 1608632

How old are the chicks? Maybe partially box in a small area that you can let the heat build up in, that they can go in and out?

 

[NNYchick]

Oh thank you I was wondering if it had a way to hang it. I do have an xl igloo dog house I could put that in the coop and suspend the heat panel from the hole in the top giving them a place to go in and warm up.

 

[NNYchick]

I have 4, 2 hens 1yo and 2yo and 2 6 month old pullets.

 

[Faraday40]

Do you think I need 2 or would 1 be enough? My area is quite open. I am putting thier roost up in the corners of my 8x8 roosting area that opens into the 8x16 enclosed run (I have plastic up on the large windows you see in the picture but my coop a stays about the same temperature as outside minus any wind chills.
This is the roosting area, roost for serama would go in corner on side of window above shelf View attachment 1608633This is the area behind it, I have the smaller windows on the right of picture open for ventilation and everything else gets closed to avoid any drafts blowing through
View attachment 1608632

I think your coop looks nice.

As far as the heat panel, I'm not sure. One may be enough for your 4 seramas to stand next to. However which birds will be the ones to actually use it? If the bigger ones discover a heated corner, they may push the little ones out. I know my silkies & OEG would be fine w/o supplemental heat. My main coop (unheated) is sort of cozy b/c it's insulated, and all the birds give off some heat. This is the 1st year I'm trying the heat panel & only because of my 2 spoiled seramas. Temps go well below zero in Jan-Feb, and although I'm sure they could handle some freezing temps, those arctic blasts would be too much for a serama. That's why we put the pre fab coop next to the house. If I feel it's too cold, I can always pull them inside for a few nights.

 

[Faraday40]

Oh thank you I was wondering if it had a way to hang it. I do have an xl igloo dog house I could put that in the coop and suspend the heat panel from the hole in the top giving them a place to go in and warm up.

That sounds like a good idea.

 

[Faraday40]

Seramas are 5 Days Old:


White:


Chipmunk:


Yellow:

 

[Faraday40]

It's going down to 16'F tonight (but feel like 10'F). Broody silkie hen & her serama chicks are in the dining room, adult bantams are in the heated "useless chicken" coop, Teddy's in DD's room, and my other chicks are in the reg unheated coop. The mama & chicks were on the floor of the run in a separate little cage. Since they're less than a week old I got worried, so I moved them into a nestbox for the night. Although the run is covered & out of the wind (like a greenhouse), the coop has insulation, so it's a few degrees warmer.

So here's the funny part.... DH tells me about tonight's forecast & asks if the chicks will be OK. (This is from the man who claims to not like the chickens.) I told him I think they'll be fine, but we can bring more into the house if he would like.

 

[WVduckchick]

Awesome pics! Looks like you might have a couple silkieds!

Checked the temp with my plate standing upright and it was only 44’F about 2 feet from the plate. That’s probably not much warmer than it would have been without it. But I moved the thermometer about a foot closer and will check it later.
The hen on eggs is in the next box in the slot to the left, so the plate is standing toward her.
I was holding the lid open, it does fully close. They enter from the far end, that opening does not close. This is outside, but against a building and shielded from wind.

 

[NNYchick]

I ordered one of the Cozy Coop panels.

 

[Faraday40]

The mama in the unheated coop did just fine last night. She may have been OK in the run, but now she's back in her little cage with the chicks. She really wanted out of the nest box this morning, so I figured it was best to put them back into their broody cage in the run. It's 14'F right now but should be up to 20'F in a couple hours.

So here's one of the benefits in living in a cold winter climate: Frozen poop! I'm serious. I have sand & sift it daily as part of my chicken chores. It's so fast & easy when frozen! Also, no smooshes or smears when scraping. It can be popped off cleanly.

@WVduckchick
How can you tell silkied or smooth with only feather tips? Do you have any pics to help me?