# How cold-hardy are Silkies?



## ai731 (Sep 11, 2007)

We have 9 Chantecleres, 3 mixed banties, and 1 Silkie. The Silkie came from a work collegue of DH's who was getting rid of his chickens, and no one wanted this last Silkie hen so he gave her to us. Our coop is double-walled and well insulated, but not heated. The Chantecleres do fine in the winter (one of the reasons we got that breed), and I figure the banties will be OK cuddled up on the roosts next to the Chantecleres, but the Silkie doesn't roost with the rest of the chickens. I understand from my neighbor who keeps Silkies that this is normal, they don't roost up high. The Silkie sleeps in the corner of the coop on top of one of the nest boxes. Will she freeze to death in winter? We get -20 celcius / -4 F average overnight temps in January/February. Heating the coop is not an option, giving the Silkie to someone else is


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Give her to someone else.
She would not do well at all in temperatures that cold.
That fluff is not very insulating.


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## jerryf (Apr 1, 2006)

I keep Silkies in cold Minnesota winters, However in a large group. They huddle up together and keep each for warm. One SIlkie with no other Silkies may not survive
Jerry
http://fletcherthreeoaks.blogspot.com/


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

I agree one silkie is not too good. Also since she was added alone, she probably won't bond with the others. I have silkies, bit I live in Florida, and winter temps have gone in the 20's, and they were fine. However, any younger ones all got colds. I just bred the last group of small frizzles and had the chicks a week ago, and I plan on NOT having any winter chicks.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

Before you give her away try putting her up on the perch a few times with the rest of the chickens at night and once she knows about the perch she should jump up by herself. Note that the others might peck at her at first but soon will adjust to having her there too. I have my silkies mixed in with my standards and they do jump up a couple feet to roost.
Here it gets down to -30 to -40C at night, and my silkies have survived these temps.
OTOH I've got a pair of seramas and I think I might have to bring those two into the house because they roost apart from the rest, and I've heard they aren't very cold hardy.


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