silkies in the winter, what do they need?

[Shandina]

I have a shed I am making into a coop for my silkies, I am getting 4 maybe 6 of them soon. I brought a dog heated water bowl for their water dish through the winter. I am making sure there are no drafts in the coop and lots of ventilation!! but do I need to insulate the coop? I know other chickens don't need it but with silkies not being the best winter hardy kind of chicken I am wondering if I would need to or not? if so what would work best for insulation? also is there a point to insulation if you have vents letting the warmer air out? I also have a cover run and planning on putting plastic around the outside of the run, so they can still go outside and get some light without the snow. it gets very cold here sometimes, like -30 with the wind chill so I want them to be warm enough.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would recommend an insulated coop as it can keep the coop a bit warmer than the outside temperatures. Around here it gets pretty cold too. I close up my bantam coop. Cracks around the door allow for enough ventilation for here. Keep the bedding deeper too. I like a mix of shaving and hay. The hay provides forage, and gives them something to do. Silkies often won't go outside much in winter, so make sure your coop is big enough for them to move and scratch around.