Silkie winter maintenance

[Teresa Boone]

We're new to Silkies. We live in Central PA. I've researched online about winter maintenance for silkies but want hands on advice. We have other chickens. We've had some for 2 years, some for 4 years. We're new to the Silkies though. I know they need special care in winter months. I need advice on how to care for our 1 Silkie hen.
Thank you in advance.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I feel like they would be fine because they have so much down, but I don't know, this is my first winter with silkies

Watching this thread...

 

[aart]

I don't think they need anything special.
I think @oldhenlikesdogs has some silkies in a cold climate.

 

[CajunChickenMama]

They are finicky due to cold weather sensitivity. We're putting thick plastic drop drapes around the coop with a board at the bottom to weigh it down. The rain and cold air can be fatal since they have trouble maintaining their body temperature. A heat lamp is a must. You'll see them staying near it when they get chilly.

 

[chickens really]

I run heat for my Silkies and other Bantams. -5C I turn on my heat lamp. Depends on how cold you get. The condition of the Coop and the birds.

 

[NNYchick]

I’m in northern NY in the foothills of the Adirondacks. I don’t use any heat for my silkies. Just a draft free coop with lots of ventilation and deep layer of bedding. Keep them dry, once snow is on the ground they stay in my coop, they don’t repel water like other feather types so they become soaked to the skin and take forever to dry. We were barley 40 degrees today but they were outside till it started sleeting then I shut the door. Mine do much better in the cold than the heat, they get stressed when temperatures up over 80 degrees but have done wonderful in below zero temperatures. My coop for them, I leave 6ft x 1.5ft opening on the east wall open all winter. And open the north and south windows open as long as we are not getting a storm. All the ventilation is above them. This year we put up clear corrugated plastic roof panels instead of just painters plastic it lets in so much more light and they can still jump up on the stumps and watch outside, my roosters really like that. Its been about 5 degrees above ambient temperatures. Even with that awful wind storm we had late last week I went in and checked no drafts in the coop at all.

Lots of space so they have room to be in the coop 24/7.

 

[Matilda Belle]

I'm in Minnesota and don't use heat or have insulation. There was about a week last winter when it got to -25 and I decided to put an oil radiator inside the coop because I wanted them to be more comfortable. I know I didn't need to do that, but it made me feel better.