Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

Trying to get a head-count on silkie lovers...

  • ME! - I like silkies!

    Votes: 826 96.2%

  • ^

    Votes: 98 11.4%
  • Total voters
    859
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Round 2....work smarter not harder! 😂

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TJAnonymous said:
I've never had chicks that made such a mess with their food so quickly.... They flick it out with their beaks and feet.

The box is working though.... It is containing the mess quite nicely! ☺ Pat myself on the back for that one! 😂
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If you have the feed container with a block under so it's higher up (at their shoulder level) usually that helps them not make so much mess - at least with the kicking /scratching it out but the flicking it with their beaks is another thing! ..maybe put some other things like weeds etc they can play with in there to destract from playing with feed? Also a couple sticks for roosts?
 
ForTheLoveOfSilkies said:
If you have the feed container with a block under so it's higher up (at their shoulder level) usually that helps them not make so much mess - at least with the kicking /scratching it out but the flicking it with their beaks is another thing! ..maybe put some other things like weeds etc they can play with in there to destract from playing with feed? Also a couple sticks for roosts?
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Well I've got an interesting dilemma. I put the MHP in there and even raised it a little. They don't want to go under it like usual... After watching them all huddled together in the feed box and crying pathetically, I turned a heat lamp on. It is pointing to the MHP so now they are all snuggled up together on TOP of the MHP... I picked the MHP method because the darkness helps keep them quieter at night. Their new coop should be done in the next week... So hopefully having a heat lamp on for a week doesn't mess up their cycles too much
 
TJAnonymous said:
Well I've got an interesting dilemma. I put the MHP in there and even raised it a little. They don't want to go under it like usual... After watching them all huddled together in the feed box and crying pathetically, I turned a heat lamp on. It is pointing to the MHP so now they are all snuggled up together on TOP of the MHP... I picked the MHP method because the darkness helps keep them quieter at night. Their new coop should be done in the next week... So hopefully having a heat lamp on for a week doesn't mess up their cycles too much
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Supposably using an infrared heat light doesn't interfere with their sleep cycle.. is yours a white bulb or red? ... I haven't used one of those mhp but they usually like it from what I've heard because they can go under it haha.. I guess you have ones that don't! Maybe too hot under it but too cold without it? Can you turn it down or raise it even higher? .. I don't have much experience with brooding chicks, only once, (mother hen usually does her job) ..so you probably know more then me! 😄 .. could you put them under mhp at night and put lights off and they stay there till it's light in the morning? Then use heat light during the day if they need it?
 
ForTheLoveOfSilkies said:
Supposably using an infrared heat light doesn't interfere with their sleep cycle.. is yours a white bulb or red? ... I haven't used one of those mhp but they usually like it from what I've heard because they can go under it haha.. I guess you have ones that don't! Maybe too hot under it but too cold without it? Can you turn it down or raise it even higher? .. I don't have much experience with brooding chicks, only once, (mother hen usually does her job) ..so you probably know more then me! 😄 .. could you put them under mhp at night and put lights off and they stay there till it's light in the morning? Then use heat light during the day if they need it?
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It's a red heat lamp bulb made by GE.

My chicks were staying under the MHP when I had them in the tote box. Now I've got them in this dog pen because they needed more room until their coop is done. They have walked under the MHP a few times in the new pen but they don't seem remotely interested in staying under it. I think it's because of the tile floor under the puppy pads. I think it is colder down there than they felt in the tote with pine shavings. They really seem to enjoy being on top of the MHP with the heat lamp on them. I moved the lamp to be a little further away and they've moved to the other end of the MHP to get closer to the lamp. Definitely a sign that they were cold.

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TJAnonymous said:
It's a red heat lamp bulb made by GE.

My chicks were staying under the MHP when I had them in the tote box. Now I've got them in this dog pen because they needed more room until their coop is done. They have walked under the MHP a few times in the new pen but they don't seem remotely interested in staying under it. I think it's because of the tile floor under the puppy pads. I think it is colder down there than they felt in the tote with pine shavings. They really seem to enjoy being on top of the MHP with the heat lamp on them. I moved the lamp to be a little further away and they've moved to the other end of the MHP to get closer to the lamp. Definitely a sign that they were cold.

View attachment 2585718
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Oh yes tile floor would be a little cold. Your red bulb should be good then and hopefully not interrupt their sleep cycle. I used a red bulb but I think mine were use to a hen so it took them a while to get into a sleep cycle at night time.
..If they are going to live in the outdoor coop next week shouldn't you be taking away the heat so they adjust to the outside temp? Or will you have a heat source for them outside too?
 
ForTheLoveOfSilkies said:
Oh yes tile floor would be a little cold. Your red bulb should be good then and hopefully not interrupt their sleep cycle. I used a red bulb but I think mine were use to a hen so it took them a while to get into a sleep cycle at night time.
..If they are going to live in the outdoor coop next week shouldn't you be taking away the heat so they adjust to the outside temp? Or will you have a heat source for them outside too?
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Well they are only 2 1/2 weeks old. I thought Silkies didn't fully feather out until they are 4 months old or so? Wouldn't they need heat until they are fully feathered? It gets down to the upper 40s to lower 50s most nights.
 

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