Feathered feet and silkies during winter

[Ozkan]

Hi
I was planning to hatch silkie,silkie feathered pekins,Brahmas and Orpingtons. So they will be 16 weeks by December.
I was wondering if I should be worried about their feathered feet during winter and silkies and silkie Pekin feathers aren’t waterproof and we have a lot of rain in winter and they will be free range and a shed as a coop?


Thanks
Ozkan

 

[PetesChicks]

They should be fine. My silkies have been through snow and rain, they get wet but dry off. As long as they have a decent coop to go into whenever they want, you shouldn’t have any problems.

A few days ago we had a torrential downpour, that stopped before I got home from work. Both of my silkies were soaked, and strolling around in the run when I got home, happy as could be. The rest of my girls were in the coop nice and dry.

 

[Ozkan]

Hi
Do their feathers stick together though?
And does it poof back again?

Thanks

 

[Ozkan]

Hi
Do their feathers stick together though?
And does it poof back again?

Thanks

 

[sylviethecochin]

The feathers slick down and then poof back up when dry. Getting their foot feathers wet doesn't seem to bother my bantam cochins and silkies.

 

[HappyDancin']

Nice, that's good to know. In Colorado, we don't get much rain, but snow.

I have heard that snow and ice can clump to their feathered feet. Not sure how defend against that...trimming? This will be my first season to experience it.

 

[tigger19687]

After Winter here in MA, I had Silkies and Golden laced Polish... never again.

 

[Folly's place]

I have Belgian d'Uccles, and they do fine here in Michigan in the winter. NONE of my birds, of any breed, want to play in the snow!
Mary

 

[Ozkan]

After Winter here in MA, I had Silkies and Golden laced Polish... never again.

Oh why what happened? Are silkies not good in winter?

 

[PetesChicks]

My 2 silkies do fine in the winter. As long as your coop is big enough for them to be cooped up for days, there shouldn’t be a problem. The only time they were in the snow was if it started snowing while they were still out. When the run has snow in it, they stay inside.

IMO, 4 sq ft isn’t enough for long term coop time. I planned my coop for 10-15 sq ft inside, knowing that they would spend days at a time without going out. Right now, I have 8 girls and about 100 sq ft, give or take. Hopefully that will be enough, last winter I had 4 and a rabbit and it was plenty.

ETA: @tigger19687 is farther north in MA than I am, but we get a lot of snow in my area.