Silkie thread!

[chisNchickens]

Quote: Yes, that was my point. It IS supposed to be but it is severely lacking IMO. As for your other comments, I know. I have been around as long as you Hawk. Perhaps my new avatar is throwing you off;-)

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: My general thoughts have always been 95 the first week, 90 the second, and so on, down by 5 degrees each week. When that temperature meets ambient temperature, they can go outside without extra heat. BUT, I go more by how they act than an actual temperature setting. When they go outside depends on space in my house and on my porch. At this time of year I worry more about the babies outside getting too hot (and unable to regulate their temperature or insulate with a full set of feathers) than too cold. But I live in the low desert in Arizona--today is expected to be 106--as was yeasterday. FWIW, that is cooler than usual. 110-12 would be more common.
Wow! So glad I don't have to worry about those kind of temps here! It would be one more thing for me to worry about. Lol!
If the nights get really cool, I have two different wattage ceramic bulbs that I can add to the coop.
They make something called a thermocube that you plug into the outlet, then plug in your heat lamp. It turns on when the temperature falls outside a certain range. Or you can get a simple timer that comes on automatically and off from either dusk to dawn or during set hours.

 

[KMHunter]

Quote: My general thoughts have always been 95 the first week, 90 the second, and so on, down by 5 degrees each week. When that temperature meets ambient temperature, they can go outside without extra heat. BUT, I go more by how they act than an actual temperature setting. When they go outside depends on space in my house and on my porch. At this time of year I worry more about the babies outside getting too hot (and unable to regulate their temperature or insulate with a full set of feathers) than too cold. But I live in the low desert in Arizona--today is expected to be 106--as was yeasterday. FWIW, that is cooler than usual. 110-12 would be more common.
Wow! So glad I don't have to worry about those kind of temps here! It would be one more thing for me to worry about. Lol!
If the nights get really cool, I have two different wattage ceramic bulbs that I can add to the coop.
They make something called a thermocube that you plug into the outlet, then plug in your heat lamp. It turns on when the temperature falls outside a certain range. Or you can get a simple timer that comes on automatically and off from either dusk to dawn or during set hours.
Actually, I think I got one of those a couple of years ago! I need to go look for it. It would work perfectly for my silkie coop. Thanks for the reminder!

And can I say that I know some of you would love this to be primarily a breeder and show thread. But I have been so grateful for the information that you all have been so willing to share as I get started with silkies. I try to just read most of the questions and the answers so I don't re-ask questions that have already been answered. I feel like I have learned so much in such a short time through this thread. I hope to learn some through trial and error too so I can really understand things on a deeper level. But from those of us new to silkies, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

[Suzierd]

Sadly my husbands dog go ahold of him last night and killed him the dangers of free ranch on your propertys I WONT DO IT NOT ANY MORE !. Even though he wasnt in my breeding program anymore I NEVER WANTED HIM TO DIE!  Hubbys penalty is to replace it with more silkies and instal the hot wire around the dogs kennel so it doesnt happen again.

So sorry to hear this he was awesome.

 

[chisNchickens]

Actually, I think I got one of those a couple of years ago! I need to go look for it. It would work perfectly for my silkie coop. Thanks for the reminder!

And can I say that I know some of you would love this to be primarily a breeder and show thread. But I have been so grateful for the information that you all have been so willing to share as I get started with silkies. I try to just read most of the questions and the answers so I don't re-ask questions that have already been answered. I feel like I have learned so much in such a short time through this thread. I hope to learn some through trial and error too so I can really understand things on a deeper level. But from those of us new to silkies, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I DO think this is a valuable thread, certainly. I just wish there was a next level thread, so to speak. There is a big difference in loving all the silkies and keeping them as pets as opposed to wanting to breed quality birds for exhibition. The former is the majority however, so be it. Again, as some folks seem to think I meant to trash the thread, I DO enjoy it. Heck I leave the tab up all the time for easy access. A person can still wish for more though right? ;-)

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Hello again Silkie fiends! I have another question, that's probably already been asked, if it has I apologize So, in my search for birds, I've ended up with a gaggle of different colors and not enough space to keep them all separate I've got b/b/s, which I'll gladly lump together. But I've also got whites, porcelain and what are supposed to be lavender (though to me they look white). Anyway, obviously the whites need their own pen, but can I house my porcelains and lavenders together without producing a bunch of crazy stuff? My understanding is porcelains are still lavender splits, and if I breed them to a lavender I'll get lavenders and more splits (porcelains), am I correct in my thinking or did I fudge what I think I read? I've found that in my mad scramble to buy adorable Silkies I just bought whatever I could find with no regards to color, so now I have to figure out what the heck I'm going to do with all of them. Thanks so much guys, what would us noos do without you!?!

 

[peepblessed]

Oh good. Then I am going to start putting them all out in the run during the day and use a lower wattage ceramic bulb in the brooder at night for another week or so. Then I am going to kick all of their cutre little fuzzy behinds outside for good! It's getting warm enough here that I shouldn't worry too much.

Yeah, right.
I have never had anything so small and cute! It brings out my overprotective side. But I know I can't coddle them too much or they may not stay healthy. At least I have found that to be true of my LF chicks.

One more thought. I turn lights out at night around 5 weeks in the house. Chicks with a light grow much faster than chicks raised by a broodie as they eat more. After 7 or 8 weeks under a light their wings can develop too fast and cause they to be too heavy and fold wrong.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I DO think this is a valuable thread, certainly. I just wish there was a next level thread, so to speak. There is a big difference in loving all the silkies and keeping them as pets as opposed to wanting to breed quality birds for exhibition. The former is the majority however, so be it. Again, as some folks seem to think I meant to trash the thread, I DO enjoy it. Heck I leave the tab up all the time for easy access.  A person can still wish for more though right? ;-)

So, why not start a new thread just for breeding and showing discussion? They did it for the Cochin thread, and it seems to have worked out just great for them This is a fabulous thread, but it is difficult to navigate with all of the pages (and all of the new pages that pop up if I don't check this thread every 15 minutes ). Anyway, just a thought!

 

[peepblessed]

Sadly my husbands dog go ahold of him last night and killed him

the dangers of free ranch on your propertys I WONT DO IT NOT ANY MORE !. Even though he wasnt in my breeding program anymore I NEVER WANTED HIM TO DIE! Hubbys penalty is to replace it with more silkies and instal the hot wire around the dogs kennel so it doesnt happen again.

So sorry!!

 

[blessedchick]

Sadly my husbands dog go ahold of him last night and killed him

the dangers of free ranch on your propertys I WONT DO IT NOT ANY MORE !. Even though he wasnt in my breeding program anymore I NEVER WANTED HIM TO DIE! Hubbys penalty is to replace it with more silkies and instal the hot wire around the dogs kennel so it doesnt happen again.

Oh no!!! I'm so, so sorry about your loss! He was a very handsome boy...