Silkies - Too cold during the winter in PA?

[KellyGwen]

Hi Everyone!

I am planning on getting some Silkie babies from a local breeder in the next week or so... But I've heard a lot of talk on the board about them dying from the cold??? Is it too cold for them here in Western PA during the winter? Would they need special care? I just want them to live in the coop with my other chickens, and there is no power out there. On very cold nights during the winter I was planning on having a heat lamp out there, but I don't want to have the Silkies if they are going to suffer... I am planning on getting 5 or 6 of them... would they snuggle for warmth?

Thanks!!!
Kelly

 

[BamaChicken]

They don't have a problem with the cold that I have noticed. Just being wet or damp

 

[hinkjc]

Our silkies do just fine over winter. We do not offer any heat sources either. They are kept inside their coops during snow/ice storms or when snow is on the ground, but otherwise no special treatment. I have never lost a silkie to PA winters yet.

Jody

 

[MaransGuy]

I am in zone 5 (-20 lowest winter temp) and my silkies do just fine. They seem to be a lot more sensitive to heat than cold. When I bathe them I have to be careful blow-drying them. They overheat quickly and take a while to cool down. As long as they are dry they will be fine.

Richard

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

Coldest we got last winter was -35f and our gal Elvis did just fine.