silkie homelife advice

[kidseieio]

We have several silkies that we purchased as adults and weather doesn't seem to bother them, however we have several small silkies that are not doing well with our temperatures. We are in florence sc and can get into the 20's for the worst of the year. Do any of you that have had silkies and live in colder climates have suggestions for temperature control to keep them healthy and comfortable for the winter?? Is the general closed in chicken coop enough or do they need heat lamps etc provided?? or do younger silkies need more heat than the older ones?? Thanks

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

I can only tell you what I do.

I am in NC Foothills/Upstate SC area... I am always colder than the lower part of the county I live in. It has been in the mid 20s here the past couple of nights. It is 33-34 degrees here right now.

My Silkies are my babies

Adults (8 months and older) are in a closed coop at night and during rain.
I have two that are around 2 months old...at night I put them in a brooder with a light. Not a high wattage heat bulb, just a normal 75w-100w bulb.
My smallest ones are 5 weeks old and less so they are in a brooder still under a lamp with a higher wattage heat bulb.
Also, I do have two that are 3-4 months old with two older ones and they seem to be OK.


I think I have seen Bat Cave Silkies (in NC mountains) say she uses lights for hers but I am not sure.

Edited for clarification or further confusion...whichever ensues.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Age of the "small silkies"?

Silkies are native to China, which get ***COLD*** Young birds of any breed need extra warmth. Any bird not acclimated gradually will need more warmth/cooling than one who has lived with the changing season.

I have very young birds (3 weeks) out in the yard with a heat lamp. Ones even younger are on the porch with a heat lamp (although tomorrow they go out to a yard pen). Right now our lows are in the low to mid 40s (beginning of the week was down to high 20s).

Any sort of bulb used to generate heat (not fluorescent or LED) is considered a heat lamp; not just the ones that are intended to produce more heat than light.

 

[brownlikewoah]

I am in washington, and it can definitely get into the 20s at night... I use ropelight in my coop for extra light, and it gives off some heat but not enough to burn them. Since they sleep in a pile, I also have a heat pad (special kind for animals) that I keep on at all times. Extra chilly days I bring them hot water, and hot oatmeal in the mornings to help warm them up. They seem to do just fine!

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Quote:

yepp

'round here, bulbs are referred to as heat bulb, red bulb or regular bulb. At least it was by the fella at TSC when I went for a new one!

I thought any bulbs (but the fluorescent and LED) gave off heat. The guy there was intent on explaining which one I would need even though I already knew what I wanted

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Quote:
Mine did not like oatmeal at all

My white ones may...haven't gave them any yet.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I live in WA state, and my older silkies are in a coop now with other chickens. I run a 100 watt bulb in there when it drops in the 20's, and lately when it is below freezing and foggy (the fog just permeates everything).

I have some itty bitty silkies in a rabbit hutch brooder outside with a 100 watt bulb also- only a few weeks old.

But if the power fails I'll bring them (including the adults) in the garage, having given them supplemental heat all along.

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Oh yeah....

Be sure lamps are SECURE! Don't want a fire!

 

[Bat Cave Silkies]

I know I go overboard when it comes to caring for my Silkies~~but I sleep better at night. They're my babies and I can't stand the thought of any of them shivering in the cold.

NONE of my Silkies go out to the barn until they are fully feathered.

In the barn, until they are sexually mature, I pen them by size~~every pen has at least a 60 watt lightbulb hanging over it.

The sexually mature birds are grouped by color (though the roo doesn't stay with them 24/7) and even they get a lightbulb.

My barn is insulated just like a house.

I do have a heater in there with the thermostat set at 50.

Told you~~~I go overboard.....but I never know when the temps are going to drop into the teens, and since we're in a valley, on a river, the wind gusts through here like a freight train.

 

[robin416]

Quote:
Same here, the heater goes on when the temps are going in to the teens at night.

But for young birds I also have bell lamps with a red spot light in it hung just low enough that if anyone gets chilled they have a warm spot to hunker under it.