Is it really that bad?

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

HI,

I hope

to start breeding Paint and Lavender silkies! And I was offered (by a very nice BYCer) some nice paint eggs the first week of nov., well mom and dad are fine with me breeding but are a little concerned about hatching them in the end of Nov. early Dec. is there any problem with hatching chicks at this time, the houseing should be done by the last week of Dec.?

Thanks for any help you have,

Happy-Hens

 

[SteveBaz]

I think its great but you don't live here. Better check it out with mom and dad 1st LOL!!

 

[darin367]

depends how cold it gets there...... if you only get into the 40's in dec. momma hen will keep em warm...

 

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

Quote:
No there fine with me breeding and hatching the just wanted me to ask on here if there were really any problem hatching in the winter?

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Where are you planning to keep them for the first 6 weeks? You need to plan for a location where you can keep the brooder at 90 degrees at first and then decreasing 5 degrees every week until you're at the temps they'll be at without heat. If you can accomplish that, I don't see any reason not to breed this time of year. I have 14 that hatched mid September and are out in the coop with a heatlamp. Temps have been in the 40s here, in the coop it's been in the upper 50s last night, they're almost 5 weeks old.

 

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

Quote:
Yes there are only going to be 3-5 of them, and I am going to keep them in the house until they are 5-6 weeks old then I will put them in the outdoor housing with 1 other silkie and a heat lamp but it will still be the middle of January.

 

[JulieNKC]

Quote:
Yes there are only going to be 3-5 of them, and I am going to keep them in the house until they are 5-6 weeks old then I will put them in the outdoor housing with 1 other silkie and a heat lamp but it will still be the middle of January.

I got my silkies as babies at the end of october last year. They were outside by december, and did fine. It gets a lot colder here than it does there, so I think they'd be fine.

 

[suzeqf]

I would say it would be fine also. It's amazing how much heat a few little peepers can give off but I will say this make sure your mom is ready for all the dust and poo they will produce as they get older that's why i don't raise mine in the house but in my hubby's shop

 

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

Now we ALL know how much of a mess they make this will be our 5 set of chicks in the house

 

[catterbug]

You should be just fine. It seems you have it all figured out already.