Silkie thread!

[littlecritters]

Now is it okay if they have dew and frost on them? They looked like sad little icicles the other morning.

I would try to avoid them becoming frosty Popsicles. Do you have a coop that you can close up at night? It would be helpful to provide shelter to keep out the wind and hold in the heat. If you wish, take a bale of straw and peel off chunks to line the walls of your coop. It will help insulate the coop while filling in any large cracks and gaps. If you have a fenced in run, consider wrapping the sides with heavy plastic or vinyl as a wind break. Cold wind can cause more problems that cold temps, especially if animals are wet or icy.

Reading winter feeding, you can make a warm mash out of their feed, cook up warm oatmeal or provide some cooked pasta for extra calories and a little warmth. You can provide scratch if you want to increase their calorie intake and help them gain a little wight and body fat. You can even add one capful of Red Cell to a gallon of their water for an extra vitamin and mineral boost.

May I ask what state you are in? I hear that we are going to have a cold winter in NY.

 

[littlecritters]

will my girls be too cold this winter with just the two of them? I have a small dog house for them and put a bunch of shavings in it so they can snuggle in. It is only the two of them and I have found them covered in frost now that it is getting farther into fall.

Is the dog house made of plastic and does it have a floor? Plastic and metal don't hold heat very well. If there is no flooring, maybe you can add something to cover the ground? I can't speak for others on this thread, but our Sikies seem more fragile than our flock of large fowl laying hens. Our silkies will not likely be outside this winter.

 

[CKHuggins]

A few of these are not Cochins

 

[aaggjg]

My trees are in full colour!

First fall in the new location. I am in love!!!!

Wow I am JEALOUS!!!! It was 90 here yesterday .... so no fall for us .....

 

[KMHunter]

Quote: I have a scratch that I like from Scratch and Peck that doesn't have any corn in it and I add buckwheat grotes and BOSS to it. I don't give it to them for warmth, but just for something to scratch around for once in awhile. I think thier feathers, and a silkie pile keeps them warm enough. ;-)

 

[peepblessed]

Chloe with her new baby!

Sooooo cute!!!

 

[peepblessed]

will my girls be too cold this winter with just the two of them? I have a small dog house for them and put a bunch of shavings in it so they can snuggle in. It is only the two of them and I have found them covered in frost now that it is getting farther into fall.

I'm thinking they may be getting frost because of condensation caused by the lack of ventilation in your dog house. Another explanation is they are sleeping right at the opening. My silkie coop gets so cold in the winter that their water freezes solid but there is no frost inside the coop on them or anything else.

 

[peepblessed]

A few of these are not Cochins

Is that a homemade incubator?

 

[ChicksNherps]

is it too drafty in your coop?

I am going to put a flap over the opening, but there is a wall they have to walk around to get to the inside.

I would try to avoid them becoming frosty Popsicles. Do you have a coop that you can close up at night? It would be helpful to provide shelter to keep out the wind and hold in the heat. If you wish, take a bale of straw and peel off chunks to line the walls of your coop. It will help insulate the coop while filling in any large cracks and gaps. If you have a fenced in run, consider wrapping the sides with heavy plastic or vinyl as a wind break. Cold wind can cause more problems that cold temps, especially if animals are wet or icy.
Reading winter feeding, you can make a warm mash out of their feed, cook up warm oatmeal or provide some cooked pasta for extra calories and a little warmth. You can provide scratch if you want to increase their calorie intake and help them gain a little wight and body fat. You can even add one capful of Red Cell to a gallon of their water for an extra vitamin and mineral boost.
May I ask what state you are in? I hear that we are going to have a cold winter in NY.

I put foam insulation along the outside of the coop, it has a 1x1 opening that I am going to put a flap over, but there is a wall when they walk in they have to walk around to get to the inside. I am going to put a few ventilation holes in it so it doesn't get too humid. I have been giving them some scratch in the morning to peck at. I was thinking about putting the plastic up on the run, I may try it if I can get it to stay on.

Is the dog house made of plastic and does it have a floor? Plastic and metal don't hold heat very well. If there is no flooring, maybe you can add something to cover the ground? I can't speak for others on this thread, but our Sikies seem more fragile than our flock of large fowl laying hens. Our silkies will not likely be outside this winter.

It's a wooden dog house, there is a 1x1 opening and there's a wall that they ahve to walk around to go the the inside to block out wind. I am going to put a flap on it so they can go in and out still but have the protection.

I'm thinking they may be getting frost because of condensation caused by the lack of ventilation in your dog house. Another explanation is they are sleeping right at the opening. My silkie coop gets so cold in the winter that their water freezes solid but there is no frost inside the coop on them or anything else.

There is an opening so there shouldn't be a lack of ventilation, but they may sleep right by the door, I don't know because it is too dark to see them. The day they were frosty their water froze too so it was COLD, but they were okay. This morning they had dew on their heads but that was it. I am going to put a flap over the opening so hopefully that stops them from getting dewy.

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Chloe with her new baby!

Beautiful picture!