It's cold here at night! Do they need a heat light?

[miss_thenorth]

Some birds don't roost. My sil has had silkies for a very long time, and they have never roosted or been sick. What breed(s) do you have?

 

[kimboolah]

ok I will try to wait until just before I leave for work at night (around 945). Will try the small red light, too. I think my little boy has one.......

He says to me everyday--"i never knew how much I would love chickens!".

Makes all the angst and worry TOTALLY worth it!

 

[kimboolah]

My silkie and giant cochin are about the same size, but there is a several month age difference and they tend to pal around together. I have 9 brown chickens who are they layers right now, a black sex link and a splash blue lace wyandotte.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

You could let the silkie and cochin roost together on the ladder

Some silkies might have trouble getting up on a roost. I have one that can manage a 3 ft roost, but she's pet quality.

 

[fordmommy]

This is my post from a couple weeks back. Hopefully it will answer some questions for you.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=216746

 

[fiberart57]

How wide are the rungs of the ladder they have to roost on? Perhaps they're too narrow for them to get a comfortable grip on. When the standards get big enough they'd like something wide so that they can cover their toes. I use a nice sanded 2 x 4 for mine and they're 14 weeks today. They love their roost. Given a choice of ground vs. height most chickens want to go up.

Mary

 

[kimboolah]

each rung of the ladder is 3 inches wide and sanded smooth on the edges and the long pieces of the ladder (the sides are the same). The ones that hang out up there seem comfy and settle right down. I dunno. I quit worrying about it for tonight and will check them later. Instead I took pix of my eggs. if that doesn't scream crazy chicken lady, I don't know what does!

Pix posted on another thread (tinypleasegolook)