Single silkie alone in coop - *cold* temperatures tonight and in coming days (sun zero)- advice please

[member 615286]

She is 10 months. Her flock didn’t make it-mareks).
She’s been alone for months (I am working on this, hard in the dead of winter in Colorado).
Snow storm/cold snap starting today (image with temps below, will be in the teens by morning and sub-zero coming days).
The coop I believe is draft free with ventilation and has a brooder plate (producers pride), set up vertically to lean against which she is, tho I’m concerned about its reliability from reviews, and if the brooder setting works properly set up vertically (which is mainly designed for the heater setting. The heater setting *does not* seem like a wise option as it gets *extremely hot* (I’ve measured the surface heat in recent months… it’s read 170+ F and *burns* to the touch), and the coop is small (10sq ft)
Will she be ok? Should I bring her in?
Thank you!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Id bring her in... one chicken isn't too hard to accommodate. The temps are just too low. Im doing the same with my big chicks that i JUST got settled outside!

 

[member 615286]

Id bring her in... one chicken isn't too hard to accommodate. The temps are just too low. Im doing the same with my big chicks that i JUST got settled outside!

Hoping this set up is adequate…
and they don’t try to fly their separate coops,
the garage breakers don’t trip overnight
and my husband is cool that I reappropriated his climbing pads and made a mess of the place
Thank you

Update- silkie flew/escaped her coop
Maybe I should put her outside in her coop until morning ? (It’ll be 11degrees F by dawn and keep dropping tomorrow, I could bring her inside in the AM?).

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Cute setup!! I raised mine as house chickens, so the sofa, the tv, and a towel are my preferred setup

I'm bringing mine in this morning, the freeze starts tonight for me, but the rain starts later this morning. I just don't want to get caught in it, especially once the winds start.

What color is your silkie? I have 2 paints right now, one is just teenie tiny!!

 

[member 615286]

Cute setup!! I raised mine as house chickens, so the sofa, the tv, and a towel are my preferred setup

I'm bringing mine in this morning, the freeze starts tonight for me, but the rain starts later this morning. I just don't want to get caught in it, especially once the winds start.

What color is your silkie? I have 2 paints right now, one is just teenie tiny!!

My husband tried to talk me into bringing her indoors when he flock died. However, I have two relatively new Great Danes rescues and while the senior is her best bud the other adolescent *will kill her* and so she has to be kept *completely* out of sight if he’s outside, that’s enough for me to manage lol.
She’s a buff.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

My husband tried to talk me into bringing her indoors when he flock died. However, I have two relatively new Great Danes rescues and while the senior is her best bud the other adolescent *will kill her* and so she has to be kept *completely* out of sight if he’s outside, that’s enough for me to manage lol.
She’s a buff.

I totally understand! Trust your instincts!

Not sure if you already know, but you can order just a handful of silkies from ideal poultry, and have them vaccinated for mareks. That'll get her some buddies going.

I have to go pickup Chinese food, pizza and propane for the grill (aka freeze prep)! Chicks will be moving indoors in a couple hours!

 

[member 615286]

I totally understand! Trust your instincts!

Not sure if you already know, but you can order just a handful of silkies from ideal poultry, and have them vaccinated for mareks. That'll get her some buddies going.

I have to go pickup Chinese food, pizza and propane for the grill (aka freeze prep)! Chicks will be moving indoors in a couple hours!

View attachment 2981070

I looked into *every* option but in the dead of winter I (understandably) couldn’t have bantams shipped to Colorado and while I could have mail orders vaccinated standard breeds chicks I would have needed to order *8* !!!! (at least from backyard chickens). Finally found a hatchery in northern colorado who sold vaccinated chicks but only standard breeds. Not the best time of year to be finding bantams or raising chicks (as a novice, it’s going to be -7F tonight!) but figuring it out along the way!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

I looked into *every* option but in the dead of winter I (understandably) couldn’t have bantams shipped to Colorado and while I could have mail orders vaccinated standard breeds chicks I would have needed to order *8* !!!! (at least from backyard chickens). Finally found a hatchery in northern colorado who sold vaccinated chicks but only standard breeds. Not the best time of year to be finding bantams or raising chicks (as a novice, it’s going to be -7F tonight!) but figuring it out along the way!

Well you have to wait for any of your orders since they are still selling out, but you can pre-order to MAYBE get some this summer.. because they cut off shipping before the heat starts too. Ideal requires a $35 minimum, i think it comes out to 6 chicks plus vaccines. No restrictions on bantams either. You pick the delivery date too, so May could work!

 

[Freedomrange]

She is 10 months. Her flock didn’t make it-mareks).
She’s been alone for months (I am working on this, hard in the dead of winter in Colorado).
Snow storm/cold snap starting today (image with temps below, will be in the teens by morning and sub-zero coming days).
The coop I believe is draft free with ventilation and has a brooder plate (producers pride), set up vertically to lean against which she is, tho I’m concerned about its reliability from reviews, and if the brooder setting works properly set up vertically (which is mainly designed for the heater setting. The heater setting *does not* seem like a wise option as it gets *extremely hot* (I’ve measured the surface heat in recent months… it’s read 170+ F and *burns* to the touch), and the coop is small (10sq ft)
Will she be ok? Should I bring her in?
Thank you!

 

[Freedomrange]

Id bring her in... one chicken isn't too hard to accommodate. The temps are just too low. Im doing the same with my big chicks that i JUST got settled outside!

Agreed. Northern AZ will be most likely zero with wind. Perches get covered for older Birds and more but a single silkie would be in big trouble. We have a Silkie Hen & Rooster in a Travel Trailer and even they will be getting special treatment for the next 3 days out here. Like oven on low to bring it to freezing. Feb, 2nd 3rd & 4th. Then it's back to normal. Too hot can be just as bad as cold as You know.