South Carolina

[KrisH]

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I'm sorry for your loss, But Please help me learn from your experience...

I thought a hen would be able to withstand the cold without a heat lamp when feathered out. are silkies different?

I don't want to seem un sympathetic, but I do want to learn. We don't currently have silkies, but you never know.

RobertH

Silkies are different. They don't have the same kind of feathers. Their feathers are loose, not tight so they don't hold in heat.

just found someone else in a similar situation https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=615719

would polish be similar then? from what I have seen their feathers don't seem to lay flat. I guess I just figured it was like fur and still would keep them warm. They look so soft and fluffy.

I am So sorry

RobertH

 

[Joycats]

We had snow flurries here tonight. Winter's here.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Ugh....I don't want to do chores today!
It's all icky cold outside this morning and I did not even like slipping out to crank the truck to warm up. I don't want to walk down to the barn and open doors. I bet the birds don't want me to disturb them either.
But I have to go check on everyone and see if I lost anyone to the frigid cold. The Ameraucanas were sleeping outside on top of their coop last night. I put them inside but they squawked about it the whole time. What was I thinking to have pens with an open coop door where they do not go inside and get closed up for the night?

Oh, how I dread do water containers. Hot jugs of water in the wagon to pour over and melt the trays/tops enough for a morning drink. I have to remember it is better than 95 degrees of sweltering heat.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

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They act more like sisters, too! Them two together can make me laugh so hard I almost split a gut! They are loads of fun to be around. Glad you got to go out, Miss Kimberly!

It was a gorgeous day yesterday and I got a good bit done while DH slept in the chair most of the day. How someone can spend 12 hours in bed and then get up for 3 hours and fall asleep in the chair for another 4 hours and then get up to eat and go back to bed to sleep another 9 hours is beyond me. I am happy to get 6 hours of sleep at night. Old age is a real bummer!

Today is not too bad. I have gotten some stuff done but want to do way more. However, the dump isn't open and I have about 2 truck loads of trash that I need to haul off. This mess is a place!

Hahaha...my DH is a Marathon Sleeper too!! And he's 55! Dang...I sure miss being able o fall asleep...stay asleep...and wake up rested and refreshed.

 

[Larkspur88]

My large fowl slept out in the open tonight. They are idiots though. As for the restbi covered them up with a grill cover and gave everyone extra pine needles. I haven't been outside yet but so far all my large fowl look fine.

 

[huckleberryfarm]

I lost 9 chicks in the nursery coop.

We have two heat lamps and hay bales stacked around to make little warm areas. Guess it was just too darn cold. I haven't checked the itty bitty babies yet. They are in an insulated shed with two heat lamps on them. Those are the real young ones.

My silkies do fine in the cold once they are fully feathered. I leave the pop door open for the teenagers (age 5 weeks and up) but there is a heat lamp in there. This morning most of the silkies, even the little ones, were outside in the run. It's just getting them to 5 or 6 weeks that is the hard part.

At least it's not windy today!

 

[dixiebeast]

We lost our faithfull LGD Boomer this morn...he was a 13 yearold husky/bassett mix who has always made sure we were safe no matter what...he even guarded the chickens even though he would eat one given the chance...if he had been raised with them it wouldnt have been and issue but seeing as chickens were new this spring he still wanted a snack but was getting better.We always knew we were taking the chance but we have never been able to keep him put up as he would climb fence and chew chain until bloody but in all the years he has always done good with crossong the road( he potties there) but never going out of sight of the house... but this morn he was hit. I am thankfull it was fast and he did not even know what happened.He had been losing his eyesight and it looks like a head hit...we think he may have run into a car....

Now it is only a matter of time before the nieghborhood dogs,coyotes,coons,possums,skunks,etc...move in on our little farm!!!

DH says no more outside dogs until we can fence ALL the land in ....

 

[gmendoza]

My Quarterly trade route is in March.

I usually go to visit my friend in Pelion,SC in March. So my route is from Rock Hill,SC to Pelion,SC.

We usually barter and trade stuff.I want to know who wants to be on my route,and what do you have to offer?

 

[Southern Bee Lady]

Kimberly and dixiebeast I am so sorry for your losses.

This is a learning time for me on silkies. I lost one a couple of weeks ago. One of the hens was broody. Several of the 3 month old ones would pile in the nest box with the broody. One night all 8 piled in there with her and smothered/flattened one. I took the nest box out.

One lesson learned.

I carried warm water to the coop this morning and gave all the silkies and old ladies warm water. Everyone else got cold water.
Looks like only one more morning of frozen water this week.

I sat in the coop for a few minutes and watched some of the younger silkies.

They were chattering and chirping. Reminded me of a cat purring.

Stay warm today

 

[Joycats]

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The wind is blowing here, it's very blustery and miserably cold. I'll take the summer heat any day over this. All drinkers are frozen, outside faucets are frozen. I went out and came right back in.