Are my silkies cold? Could they be underweight?

[Cloverr39]

The temperatures have dropped in the negatives recently and I'm worried my 3 silkie pullets may be too cold. It's usually around -1°C to -7°here. One night it went down to -10°C. That night I brought the 3 pullets into my garage. I already found one pullet dead last week.
My concern is that they don't eat much, are very light, likely underweight and they spend most of the day sitting around not doing much. They had coccidiosis this summer when they were about 2-3 months old and have never really gotten their weight back since. My other silkies are on exactly the same diet as these 3 pullets and they're much heavier.
The pullets are not exactly lethargic. They still peck around and act interested in what's around them, but they just look like they're cold and they spend a lot of time being puffed up.
They are definitely interested in food and water in general, but their crops are always almost empty. I don't remember ever seeing them with full crops, which is concerning in this weather. They get excited about mash or treats but only ever eat a little bit and then leave. Could the cold be making them loose their appetite? Any ideas on how to get them to eat more or bring their weight up?
I used to feed layer feed twice a day before winter and now I make sure they always have some food out. I also bring them a mash of layer feed and chick feed once in the evening.
I put a chick heat panel up for them a few days ago and I occasionally see one or two pullets laying under it.
Any advice? I'm just worried about the girls. I didn't have any issues with my silkies last winter, but these pullets are from different lines than my other birds. They're my best quality breeders yet and I really wouldn't want to loose them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like there's some underlying problem with the three silkies. They probably are cold if they don't have any body fat. I've kept silkies here without problems. We can get down to -20 Fahrenheit some winters. They did okay. Any unwell birds will suffer in colder temperatures.

 

[Folly's place]

Any mites or lice? Look at night with a flashlight for them. Diet matters a lot, and access to food and water. Are there multiple feeders and waterers, so nobody is excluded?
Cold, yes, Silkie feathers aren't as insulating as 'normal' feathers, and these chicks may need added heat, or at least a cozy bedded area. Very thin doesn't sound good to me either.
Mary

 

[Cloverr39]

Any mites or lice? Look at night with a flashlight for them. Diet matters a lot, and access to food and water. Are there multiple feeders and waterers, so nobody is excluded?
Cold, yes, Silkie feathers aren't as insulating as 'normal' feathers, and these chicks may need added heat, or at least a cozy bedded area. Very thin doesn't sound good to me either.
Mary

Yes, I do believe we have a lice and mite problem. I've tried DE before, but I didn't do anything. I'm not sure what to do about it and the bugs do creep me out. There is one somewhat long feeder which always has some food in it and there is one waterer, which everyone definitely uses. I'm aware silkie feathers are worse at doing their job than normal feathers, but all my silkies were completely fine last winter. Are frizzled feathers also less insulating? Anyway, the girls look and act like completely normal chickens when they have something to do (for example when I add fresh shavings in the coop).

 

[Folly's place]

Frizzles also don't insulate as well. And mites or lice will cause severe, fatal anemia!!!
Permethrin spray or dust, if you can get it, or spinosad also works. If it's legal to use ivermectin on poultry where you live, it also works well.
Mary

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yes, I do believe we have a lice and mite problem. I've tried DE before, but I didn't do anything. I'm not sure what to do about it and the bugs do creep me out. There is one somewhat long feeder which always has some food in it and there is one waterer, which everyone definitely uses. I'm aware silkie feathers are worse at doing their job than normal feathers, but all my silkies were completely fine last winter. Are frizzled feathers also less insulating? Anyway, the girls look and act like completely normal chickens when they have something to do (for example when I add fresh shavings in the coop).

Frizzles also don't insulate as well. And mites or lice will cause severe, fatal anemia!!!
Permethrin spray or dust, if you can get it, or spinosad also works. If it's legal to use ivermectin on poultry where you live, it also works well.
Mary

Definitely do as @Folly's place recommends and get a proper spray or dust to treat your silkies. External parasites can deplete them so much they can die.

Silkies in my experiences need more attention as far as treating for external parasites. They are also the only breed I ever saw lice clusters on.

DE does nothing and is a respiratory irritant. Treat weekly with an appropriate product for 4 weeks, than I personally might treat monthly or as needed. You also need to treat the coop, paying attention to cracks between wood where mites hide. I personally prefer the dust, but many use the spray.

Silkies don't seem to groom and dust bath as much as other breeds, so they need help more than other breeds.