Qs for other silkie chick owners

[silky ma]

California weather has been weird! When hen was incubating the weather was in the 70s. While babes growing nites in the 40s days in the low 60s. All has been going well with this brood ..until......Last night WHAM low 20s!! Mom has been releasing babes to be on their own but watching all the same.

Last nite due to this cold nite / morn.. I knew was coming........
I put mom and babes in the main house....all went well. I added # 2-- 75 watt heat lamps. Its a large coop. Other adult silkies have known of the others and know not to mess with mom and brood. This morn the temp here in Rancho Cordova was around 21-25 degrees so I placed 3 plates of high coloric food for all inside the coop. I will let the others out after the sun rises a bit and bring the babes indoors with me. If mom wants in she can come.

This morn they are calling for rain to finally come in about wednesday nite and it looks like it will rain straight thru next week. I have 5 chicks-- 8 weeks old today, 2 of them I had to help hatch, one --Toby -- is about a week behind the others and smaller but a go getter. My question is ....... do I let them stay out in the wet weather knowing they will get wet or keep them indoors with me till --hopefully-- it blows over.?? I dont want chicks getting wet and sick! I much rather have them indoors with me till they get older and more able to handel this screwy weather.

I am going to try to weather proof their baby rearing coop/ area so they can be out there but I am apprehensive about the rain coming. HELP! WHAT SHOULD I DO!

 

[Me & Jack]

It's a good question, but only your Silkies know for sure! Honestly, my adult Silkies will sit in the rain looking miserable. It's as if they forget where the coop is!

If I were you I would let them stay out, but if you find they don't seek cover then go ahead and bring them in. That way they'll get the chance to learn what they're supposed to do and you'll be able to take over if they can't figure it out.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Silkies will stand in the rain and get cold if there is no shelter in the run. Chicks of any breed will do it even more.

So I'd make sure they have a place out of the rain in the run, or put them in a safe place instead.

 

[leonphelps]

if you want to risk losing them, keep them outside. if not, bring them in.

better safe than sorry.