Heat Lamp for silkies Yes/No?

[Liv_loves_chickens]

Hi everyone! I was wondering what your guys thoughts were on Heat lamps? I currently have a coop of two silkie bantams and two Australorps.If you have ever seen a silkie chicken you know that that their feathers are Very different and I am afraid that my silkies will get to cold during this brutal winter. I live in mitchigan and tomorrow it will be around -20 degrees with the wind chill! I appreciate your help. -silkie nerd

 

[fawndane]

Yes, -20 is very cold. It’s about 15 where I live and my birds hang out by the heater all day.

 

[Elana DeBolt]

I have no experience with silkie or Australorps but i do have some advice. Today it was around 37 were I live and I use a heat lamp, when its over 40 i unplug it, but at night its at 14 or lower so i'm sure to plug it back in when i gets colder. I have 14 chickens RIRs, Brahmas, Leghorns, RIRs X Brahmas, and a plymouth rock. I have a heat lamp in the coop and it has not made them get to hot, but if your worried about that you can put the heat lamp on one side of the coop so if the get too warm they can go to a cooler spot. I had i a lot of chickens get frostbite on their combs but since i add the heat lamp the're all good.
Good luck with your chickens

 

[Mylied]

We've had a week in the teens and I don't use a heat lamp. Silkies are actually better in the cold than the heat. I've lost some in summer, never in winter. But I am in a milder winter climate than you. Still, my vote is lots of bedding, block the drafts, and no heat.

 

[Mylied]

Ventilate up high too, so it's not blowing across them. You don't want the coop air tight.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Heat lamps? I currently have a coop of two silkie bantams and two Australorps.I

I have no experience with Silkies I would suggest a safety chain after mounting your heat lamp could be the difference in walking out to you coop in the morning or a mountain of ash..

 

[NoNameHomestead]

I have 3 RIR and 3 ISA. I just put a heat lamp this past Sunday because of this cold snap we've been having. I put it in one corner of the coop, they spend most of the day in that corner and all night there. When temps get above freezing (only one day since mounting it) they are all over the coop like normal. Not sure if this helps or not. But, I would suggest doing the same if you do put one in the your coop.

 

[Liv_loves_chickens]

Thanks everyone!!I think I want to keep the heat lamp.

 

[PetesChicks]

My 2 Silkies haven't had any problems with the cold we've been having - except for the snowstorm the other day when it was in the low 20s, it's been in the low single digits every day for the last 2 weeks. They don't go out much, so wind chill isn't a factor - no wind in the coop. Just make sure your coop is ventilated well, without drafts, and they will be fine. One of the Silkies roosts on the roost with the other girls, and the other stays on the floor in a corner, even with the ramp I have for them.

 

[ScottandSam]

We moved some 3 month old silkies to our hen coop one week before we hit low double and single digits. There all doing fine. Don't go out much but are all happy and healthy.
Scott