I need jackets for my silkies for winter!

[roseyred]

I used old waterproof people jackets, the kind with the fluff inside. You basically make a square shape, drape it over your chicken and make sure it covers from base of neck to just before the end of the tail and half way down both sides, then trim the corners back on two sides to make it like a gift tag shape, then add two slits about a half inch behind that end, make them like 2 inches long, then add elastic, usually like an inch and a half to the front two small corners of the tag end shape. I know this makes little sense lol, if you want I can draw it up for you? I sew and have made blankets for most of my hens including my silkies

 

[calpal212]

Do NOT use sweaters!!! It traps moisture next to the hens body causing hen to not be able to regulate their own temperature!

 

[Bine]

A roofed run with a sand floor and wind shield on windy site, a nice for fizzles, silkies and small breeds with short or feathered feet.




My tiny birds would be lost in one inch of snow and don't like to walk in high wet gras, so they have a roofed run. However if the bird go through a ruff molt a sweater can help. Here is a pattern.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I can lock them in fine, but it's dark in that henhouse and I don't have a way to get light to them at the moment!

Cut a hole and then cover it with plexi-glass. Cheap solution, got a 14x14 piece cut at local hardware store for under $5. Put tape on it before drilling four holes then took of tape and screwed to side of coop over a 11x11 hole I'd cut.

I've plenty ventilation and used to have 4x4 coops that would be plenty lighted by just the coop door, the new 4x7 I built you couldn't see the far wall from pop door so put the plexi on it. Now the entire coop is lighted nicely.

 

[roseyred]

I haven't noticed any wetness under the blankets of my silkies. There sweaters are also water proof. The only reason they have them on is they can't puff up and store heat in there feathers the way the normal chickens do, this give them a barrier to collect heat. I won't let them outside if it's wet also so there feet don't get frost bite. I have one hen who had all 3 toes on one foot fall off cause she stepped in a puddle when it was too cold out. Toes were black till summer and looked like they were healing then they fell off lol. I now call her finger toes.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Why can't your Silkies puff up their feathers to store heat? Are they damaged, or are you referring to the shredded feather type?

I've raised and have been breeding Silkies off and on (mostly on) for around 8 years (most of my chicken keeping career, if my mind isn't failing me, that started about 10 years ago). I honestly don't see what all the fuss is about regarding them being fragile. Mine go out in the rain, wind, sleet, snow and ice. They step in puddles, they scratch in the mud, its been so cold out that they've had little ice cycles in their crests from bobbing them in the waterer while getting a drink. Their coop isn't insulated, but it is draft free. I stuff a little extra bedding in there before winter when I do my clean out, thats it. They have all of their toes and they never get sick. I've raised them in two states (VA and TN). My experience is they're hardy little birds, and they tolerate and lay well in the cold (which is what I'd expect from a breed that supposedly originated in the Himalayas). They do seem to suffer a bit in our hot, humid summers here in TN, but a frozen can of corn or watermelon and plenty of cool water and shade sets them to rights. I mean, aren't most of the coats we wear stuffed with down? Which is sort of the "under coat" for a chicken, and very similar to the barbless feathers of the Silkie?

Just my experience. Maybe particular breeders lines are just more robust than others? I don't know, but mine don't get any special treatment. If they want to go outside in the weather, the door is open for them. And mine seem to enjoy scratching around in the snow, they're normally the only breed out and about in it. My Olive Eggers, Easter Eggers and Marans go all "flamingo" standing on one leg looking miserable.

 

[roseyred]

That's awesome, wish my normal hens were that hardy, I had one freeze to death mid winter last year. I just don't wanna take any chances and they always have access to the outdoors if they want, my silkies go out for an hour or so then it's right back to there little spot, mine won't even roost when it's cold lol, they'd rather huddle together in a dog crate full of hay. The one who lost toes due to frostbite was also a normal chicken. And usually if it's raining I try to make the silky stay inside because their feathers arente water repellent the way that the normal chickens are so once they get cold and wet they just stay that way

 

[roseyred]

It's also freaking adorable to see them with little jackets on, I'll have to take a picture Lol.

 

[roseyred]

I even made a vest for my goat jameson

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My little fluff balls get soaked to the point of looking like drowned rats, but if I stick my fingers between the feathers, they are dry underneath I'd read that their feathers didn't repel water so I had to check for myself after hearing it multiple times. They seem to work just fine to me! They're still chickens, they make their feathers water repellent with oil from their oil glad just like chickens with normal feathers would. Then they preen the water off and fluff themselves up just like any bird. If mine were that high maintenance, I probably wouldn't be raising and breeding them still. I have noticed that my Silkies don't like the wind though. Thats about the only time their runs are empty, if its really windy.
But, to each their own. Maybe your weather is just more severe than mine. We got down to 6F last night. Brrr.

The goat is adorable