ARE SILKIES WINTER HARDY?

[bigmommy]

I have 8 Silkie (6 are roosters, just in case anyone needs 1 or 2 or 6) and one of the reasons I choose them aside from their unbearable cuteness, is that they are supposed to be winter hardy. Now I'm starting to wonder if "winter hardy" means.... Alabama winter or Michigan winter where I live. Does anyone have any experience with Silkies in northern climates?

 

[Shared Acres]

LOL. Good question. They supposedly are! I'm in Florida and it's been maybe 40s at night. Mine are doing ok. I wrapped their hen house in blankets though.

 

[Guitartists]

Mine are fine so far... I guess only time will tell.

 

[encmanerabbitry]

Mine are fine for Canadian winters! They still go outside on nice winter days.

 

[antiquebuff]

I live in NC and mine are ok so far, but I do turn a light on them at night , for warmth, if its below 35 degrees. I just want to be sure. You may want to try that to be sure.

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

20 degrees (f) this morning INSIDE our coop. 3 outside. All of our silkies are doing just fine, already got 2 eggs from them this morning and it's barely 10 am.

 

[panner123]

Mine do just fine in the cold. They love to play in the snow. All my chickens have excess to the runs 24/7/365.

 

[chickenannie]

Do silkies have feathers? Or is that just fuzz, like as in what a chick is born with?

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

There feathers they just don't have the barbs on them that hold them together to look like regular feathers.

 

[chickenannie]

Do they need extra heating because of that?