Cold weather blues

[kenya]

Ah well , I have 2 silkies in the house they are the youngest at 3 and 3.5 months old and are not handling the cold very well. All sitting , feathers fluffed up not moving around, and the youngest one shivering when I picked it up. Sooooo into the house they go, all warmed up now and looking happy but I guess until they get a little more mature , out for part of the day then back in the house just so every one still remembers them
I'm not thrilled about this but what do you do, I now have a heat lamp in with the youngest silkies as well.
Anyone else have any inside yet?

[Jaye]

I have several that "may" need to come in for a warm up: a couple of my quail hens that are rooster favourites (have bald patches on their backs), my old Silkie hen who decided to sleep on the coop bedding on the floor rather than the roost last night, which tells me she's not liking the temps, and the d'Uccles brothers. So far everyone is doing okay today, though. In the past I've put away the infirmary crate after each use, but this year I've just left it on the dryer just in case.

[kenya]

So far its always my silkies that are my needy chickens, at least until they are full grown then I've had them in the coldest part of the barn during -20 weather with no problems. Perhaps too I am breeding better and better birds and am unwilling to risk them.

[Shnookie]

I put my 5 Serama roosters out in the barn a couple weeks ago. At that time it was near 0 to -5 for a high during the day. The pen is not insulated, but I covered it as best I can and gave them a heat lamp. 3 of the roos had already been together (2 black and the black and white), the other 2 (one gold and one white) had each been in a separate pen with a couple pullets. I took them out together, hoping they would get along in the larger space. The first day they were ok. The next morning the 3 biggest ones (2 black and the gold one) had dried blood on their combs. A few feathers were on the floor. I left them. The weather changed and we had -20 temperatures and wind chills as low as -33 for a few days. I check them 2-3 times a day. After about 1 week, I went out and could only see 4 roos. I found the gold one hiding between a plastic dog house that I put in for them and an outside wall. He was cold and the points on his comb were black. I brought him in. He was thirsty, cold and hungry. I assume they were keeping him from the food and water, as well as beating on him. The white one is quite submissive and so far had no injuries, but he is smallest and they seemed to keep him from sitting on the roost under the lamp. I brought him in too. He pretty much jumped into my hands when I reached to pick him up. He was shivering. The gold one may be able to keep his comb, but it looks like it froze about half way down. The 2 black ones and the black and white seem to be doing ok in the barn. They had been fighting in the house a bit, but mostly from lack of space I think.

[Killerbunny]

My worst sufferer is a naked turkey hen but she can't come into the house We have made a smaller coop available to her but so far she seems to be snuggling with the others. She is a very subordinate hen and I hope she gets through this.

[Kbr42]

All my guys are outside! The younger silkies seem to be doing well. I've left the heated water bowels plugged in over night. Seems to have helped to have the warm water. I debated in turning on the heat lamps or the perch. I held off. My last 'golden gir,' seems to be the only one that is struggling. She is better today. I have a lot of my younger girls laying down every once in awhile. I figure their legs and feet are cold.

I'm trying hard not to have anyone inside the house through the winter. But if this week is any indication of what's to come....I'm rethinking

I was never able to have my Seramas live outside in the winter. They are definitely not cold hardy birds. Good for you @Shnookie for getting them outside.

[kenya]

@Shnookie That's the problem with some breeds you give them a heat lamp and the dominate birds hog it ousting out all the others. So far the silkies don't do that, probably can't see well enough to do that.

[kenya]

@Kbr42 I don't have a heated water bowl for the silkies but I give them warm water every day.I always found the silkies would dunk their puffs in it and end up with wet heads.

[Ontario Chick]

I find the same problem with the Wyandotte roosters, they have to be separate from the hens, once the heated water comes in to the pens, because they dipped their wattles in the water and freeze the tips.

[Kbr42]

@Kbr42 I don't have a heated water bowl for the silkies but I give them warm water every day.I always found the silkies would dunk their puffs in it and end up with wet heads.

Ha! I have a tall dog water bowel and they sort of stretch their necks up and drink from them. I'll get a picture for you. I will need to be on the look out for that. I leave the bowels out all year long so they are used to drinking from them. Thanks for the heads up.