omgosh will the silkie babies freeze??

[technodoll]

Just brought home a pair of two-month old silkies today, I sectioned off a corner of the semi-insulated coop with chicken wire to protect them from the rest of the flock and put my silkie pullet in there with them, hoping she would want to cuddle with them for warmth (she is not yet laying).

She went crazy trying to get back to the flock who was settling in to roost for the night, just hitting her face against the wire and clucking and pacing for an hour (then I left as it was getting dark).

One chick jumped on top of the small wooden nesting box and kind of huddled all by himself, the other chick went in a corner all by himself.

Just looked at the temperature and it hit freezing, we're getting snowflakes tonight

I'm afraid they will freeze!!

Do you think my pullet finally came to her senses and sought to bundle up with the little ones for the night, once it became dark enough? Is it instinctual to get protection from the cold like that? What about the babies?

They come from a heated coop and I'm afraid they will get sick or not last the night. Oh gawd.

 

[missfitch]

I myself would put a heat lamp out if they are only 8 weeks, but it depends on your coop

 

[technodoll]

I couldn't rig one up in that coop (I tried) and now it's pitch black and cold and it's too late - how badly did I mess up?

Never had chicks before and ran out of time get the right setup today

Are silkie chicks hardy?

I don't think there are many drafts in the coop and it's partly insulated...

 

[missfitch]

most chicks dont have enough of their feathers till about 14 weeks for warmth, can you put them in a box or tub for the night in the house? Hopefully someone else will know more, good luck

 

[technodoll]

Too scared to lose them, I bundled up and went back to the coop with an extension cord and a flashlight, wrong cord, had to wrangle the heat lamp through another plug, had to move the light timer to make that work, wrap cords around beams... I think all is ok now.

Found one of the chicks rammed behind the sleeping box on the floor against the wall, to his credit he was warm, so warm he was humid! Pulled him out of there carefully (I think he got stuck somehow), put him up on top of the wooden box with my silkie pullet and the other chick. He huddled right in and fell asleep.

All three seem quite warm now, thank goodness.

So much worry over birds.

Am I normal??

 

[k2chickens]

yes the heat lamp would be a good idea

 

[technodoll]

The two baby silkies are doing well this morning, although my silkie pullet doesn't like them very much yet... poor babies are getting pecked quite badly and pushed away from the food. I hope she settles down!

I got these two to keep her company in the small pen, she needs a smaller space and access to more food to put some meat on her bones - otherwise she will not last the winter, she's so thin!