Hello everyone: My name is Lynda and I live in Southern Illinois. I have a silkie hen that hatched 3 little chicks about a week ago and I have a question about the coming cold weather. I have her and the chicks in a very large dog house that is 4'x4' and covered with a large tarp. I have also piled 3 bales of straw around three sides. Here's my question. My husband and I have put a lot of bedding in for them and my broody hen is doing a good job of keeping them under her but with the coming cold weather, especially at night, we have hung a brooder light in with them. Tonight it is going down to 30 and tomorrow night around 28. We're just not sure how cold it needs to get before we need to put the light on. We don't want them to get to warm but we don't want them to freeze either. We have our old big chickens in the barn and don't want to put our silkies in with them.

If someone out there could tell me how much cold these silkies can stand I sure would appreciate it.

Thanks a bunch.

-- (shelton@wabash.net), December 08, 2001

Answers

Howdy Lynda. My hens lay eggs and hatch chicks all year around. I don't use heat or lights. Some winter nights get down in the teens. What's surprises me is that the little ones will be out and about during the day. Mom is there for them to tuck under when they nap, and she takes them back into the nest box to bed down under her for the night. I use large covered cat litter boxes for nest boxes and they're filled with Coastal hay. They sit on the ground. I've never lost a chick. The 'kids' stay penned until they feather up and then they go out during the day to free range with the rest of the flock.

If you use any heat, be careful of fire.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), December 09, 2001.

I hope I'm in the right screen. First time for me. I wanted to let rogo2020@yahoo.com how much I appreciate the information they left for me on my e-mail. I will do as you advise and get a litter box for my little ones. I now feel much better about leaving them where they are.

Thanks again, Lynda

-- Lynda Shelton (shelton@wabash.net), December 09, 2001.

It sounds like you have a good place fixed up for them. They should stay nice and warm under mama.

-- mary (mlg@aol.com), December 09, 2001.