Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Anniebee]

have they got enough sense to come in out of the rain? My big girls are out there wandering about in the rain, but they've got "proper" feathers so they aren't actually getting wet underneath them.

I used to go to people who lived rural, they had silkies who wandered about loose. I can't remember seeing them out and about on a wet day or whether they were kept in their house then or they just had the sense to stand under cover.

Answering your question potato chip .... Yes - and No.

The death of my dear little Silkie was from a huge overnight storm which leaked into the coop she was in, ( unbeknown to me at the time ) and wet her thoroughly through - resulting in ultimate pneumonia, and she had to be put to sleep by the Vet, which was unutterably sad.

As for chickens knowing when to get out of the rain ... my two big girls have good sense and retire to their coop when it is raining. Mindy Araucana stays out in it and gets delightedly drenched.

She does have good slick feathering which would normally protect and provide a kind of 'run-off' of the rain on feathers.

BUT ... I have found her so drenched, perhaps not to the skin like a silkie might be, but very very wet none-the-less. Which is when she is brought inside, towelled off to the best of my ability, and put in the cat carrier in warm conditions. And she LOVES that. ( little blighter ). Sits there and talks to Miss Ruby dog through the carrier door !!!

Ruby goes off her face with delight.

A friend of mine just lost 2 silkies to bad weather (massive rains - he was not home to put them away ) .... but as Fancy said " don't let that stop you" .... as they are cold tolerant.

Cold - yes, they are tolerant, rain out and about getting wet through - no. Not in my opinion anyway.

I would imagine that many chickens have the good sense to get out of the rain, and no doubt Fancys' Silkies do just that. But not all do - as has been my experience with Mindy Araucana. ( she seems to just LOVE the rain !! ).

To each his/her own I guess - - it's up to you.

Cheers ........

 

[Fancychooklady]

A red mite will come out at night from the coop and bedding. They don't stay on the birds.

That's true, but northern red fowl mite live their entire life on the bird.

 

[Anniebee]

My sweet bubs





I can't wait to see how their colours develop.

They are absolutely gorgeous MyHaven .... you are so fortunate, .... and I am so envious

One day - maybe ??? I will try to hatch some myself - have a friend who has a whiz bang incubator, with which he has had much success.

Still in the thinking stage though, and the 'how the heck could we do this' stage as well.

Ultimate housing is the problem for me ... doesn't stop me wondering and wishing though ....

All wee new chickens are so tiny and cute.

You are very fortunate .... well done ....

 

[sjturner79]

They are absolutely beautiful Fancy ... and I would so love to have some myself.  

But after the dreadful ordeal I had with Moppit ( my avatar ) ... and losing her, I am very hesitant, unless I can find some way to keep 2 of them inside, and let them out under supervision on the sunniest of days for a bit of free ranging.   Not sure I can swing that.   And I would hate to keep them locked up in a coop, like caged birds ( ugh ) ... when they could see the others outside having fun.    

I know - I am a sook - a scaredy cat, but I think they are so fragile, their feathers soak up water and get through that incredibly thin skin .... not confident enough - - -  yet.  

Cheers....  

My silkies free range all the time and we have very wet winters here, although it only gets down to about 10c overnight usually. Mine do fine as long as they are reasonably dry by bedtime. I sometimes have to dry them off at bedtime if they have decided to spend to long standing in the rain.

 

[sjturner79]

I hatched them. I've wanted dorkings for a while and couldn't find any. Then when I picked up my d'uccle Honey, the breeder had a dorking. It reminded me to look and by chance there was an add on gumtree. I asked the breeder if she'd sell me a half dozen and arranged for a friend to pick them up from the local markets for me. When my friend got them there were only five eggs and the woman said - no charge. She was north of Brisbane.

They are the nicest chicks. One didn't hatch and one had to be culled with a bad leg joint. I got two girls out of three.

I still have the ladies number if you want it. And also I know of breeders in Caboolture and Kilcoy.

I'll post pics soon as they have grown since I posted my last photos of them.

That would be great. I have been looking for a Dorking breeder that has more than just bantams for about 12 months. Hopefully one of them would be willing to post eggs.

 

[sjturner79]

That would be great. I have been looking for a Dorking breeder that has more than just bantams for about 12 months. Hopefully one of them would be willing to post eggs.

Or I guess I might be able to get someone on here to collect and post them?

 

[mooandmcgee]

That's true, but northern red fowl mite live their entire life on the bird.

Ok well in your mind should I spay the chicks just in case? And what would I do with the coop incase it is mites on the birds?

 

[Anniebee]

I am such a paranoid android at the moment. My poor little cuddly Carla is just such a sweetheart I'm always worried about her.

Ok well that's cool then because it was around 4ish that I was holding her and we were no where near the coop. I also did totally drown the coop in surface spray before putting the chicks in it & it was brand new. Can mites just live in "bedding" it was a sealed bag of hay?

mooandmcgee ...

I don't use hay for a variety of reasons. Some would agree, others not. It is pretty much 50/50 upon research.

Hay however, can become mouldy, and that is something you don't want. Chicken droppings on hay will make it 'wet' ( sort of ) ... and that is not good.

I only use normal every-day straw in my coops, and when used up or getting a bit 'thick' looking I throw it out as part of compost or with chicken manure for gardens ( mine and others ). There is enough in and on straw for the chickens to pick at, if they so desire - to keep them amused. Hay can have a little dietary benefit, but imho, has more against it than for it. Grass, if available, is probably more beneficial.

Some however, would disagree. ....

To each his / her own.

Cheers .....

 

[CluckerFeet]

Ok wellin your mind should I spay the chicks just in case? And what would I do with the coop incase it is mites on the birds?

If the birds don't have mites then you should just stick with treating them every three months or so. There are various liquid mite treatments that usually have to be applied on the back of the neck that prevent the birds from getting mites. I'm not quite sure where you would get them though, perhaps where you got your chicks may have something?

 

[mooandmcgee]

mooandmcgee ... 

I don't use hay for a variety of reasons.    Some would agree, others not.  It is pretty much 50/50 upon research.  

Hay however, can become mouldy, and that is something you don't want.   Chicken droppings on hay will make it 'wet' ( sort of ) ... and that is not good. 

I only use normal every-day straw in my coops, and when used up or getting a bit 'thick' looking I  throw it out as part of compost or with chicken manure for gardens ( mine and others ).  There is enough in and on straw for the chickens to pick at, if they so desire - to keep them amused.   Hay can have a little dietary benefit, but imho, has more against it than for it.   Grass, if available, is probably more beneficial. 

Some however, would disagree.   ....

To each his / her own.  

Cheers .....   

I used the word "hay" very loosely, I just went and had a look and it is mini rye grass. Any concerns with that?