caring for poultry – VJP Poultry

Building a Coop for Silkie Chickens

June 6, 2018April 28, 2020 by vjppoultry, posted in New Silkies

20180527_124135-1 Silkie chickens have slightly different requirements when it comes to housing. Silkies are different from other breeds of chickens in several ways and these differences can be reflected in the type of coop you end up designing or purchasing. The only chickens we have at VJP Poultry are silkies so we are always thinking of ways to improve housing with their uniqueness in mind.

The first coop we had was a refurbished ice house. This worked perfect for our needs. It was built very sturdy and was well insulated for winter. We added electricity out to it, put in nest boxes and roosting poles and had a ramp going down to a chain link fence enclosed run. We had a variety of breeds of chickens to start out with but I really fell in love with the silkies. I found that the silkies did not “fly” up to the roost pole with the others but would sleep on the floor directly under them. The next morning they would be covered in poo from the roosting birds above them. They also did not use the nesting boxes, but preferred to find a corner on the floor in which to lay their eggs. Silkies go broody often but can’t fly up to nesting boxes that are very far off of the ground.

In a few years we found a second ice house to refurbish as we continued to expand our chicken habit. By now we only had silkies in our coops. We did not bother putting in a roosting pole or nesting boxes. We made sure that the ramp to the ground was a long gradual incline. Silkies do not like high ramps, especially with their eyesight often being blocked by feathers. I find it best to trim above and below the eyes so that they can find food and water.

The third coop we built ourselves. We overbuilt it, but I was glad that we did. It is very sturdy and tall. There is a long walkway inside with four sections of divided pens. Everything is easily stored inside of the coop, such as food, bedding, brooms and assorted tools. It has electricity. The pen walls and floor are painted with industrial enamel which is super easy to keep clean. The other coops had plastic sheeting on the floor and sides. I scrubbed them weekly but they eventually started to come away from the walls. The enamel paint is much easier. A silkie pen needs to be kept neat and tidy. You want them to be looking at their best and poo stains are not attractive.

Now we are building our fourth coop and using all of the information gained from the other coops, we are able to have the best silkie coop possible. We started by making the floor of the coop. You want to make it up off of the ground but at the same time as low as possible for silkies. They have a hard time with steep inclines, so the ramps need to be long and low. Next the walls were built and the roof rafters put on. We put on a metal roof with a steep slant. We want the snow sliding easily off. The roof has long overhangs. In the future we will put on gutters. Silkies do not do well in the rain. Their fluffy feathers do not let water bead off of them. When they get wet, they look drenched.

We installed windows up high, so that there is plenty of air movement. Silkies do not do well with drafts so you want that air moving up above them. Ventilation is very important to the health of your birds. I keep windows open at all times. Use hardware cloth stapled over the window screens to keep predators from making their way inside.

When making the run, you will want to lay down hardware cloth on the inside and as a skirt around the outside to keep digging predators from making their way in. We piled gravel on top of the the hardware cloth and placed pea rock on top of that. Silkies have beautiful feathered feet. You want to protect those feathers by having soft bedding or even using dirt or sand in the coop or run. Large rocks can often break off foot feathers, so use as small of rock as you can.

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We covered the run with a metal sloping roof. Hawks can be a big problem for silkies. They are small enough to be lifted and taken away. Their crests are large and impedes their ability to look up. Even their coloration can make them a standout when free ranging. Try to limit their free ranging to when you can be there to watch out for them. Otherwise a covered run is their best protection from flying predators.

Know the silkie predators in your area and design your coop with them in mind. If your predators are diggers like fox, make sure that you have buried hardware cloth around your run. If you have trouble with weasels or mink, make sure that all small holes are plugged up and windows are secure with hardware cloth. Larger animals such as bear will need electric wire around the outside.

If you don’t want to build a coop yourself, there are a few coops that are available for sale that are good for silkies. Look for something that is all one level such as this. The smaller the ramp the better. Coops that are described as rabbit hutches are often on one level . Look for sturdiness in these pre-made coops that can withstand the elements and predators. If you live somewhere with a cold climate, you will need to insulate and possibly have heat lamps.

For tips and tricks for raising outstanding silkies check out our Chicken Learning Center at VJPPoultry.com . VJP Poultry is an NPIP and state inspected hatchery located 30 miles north of St. Paul. We hatch out silkies all year long so we always have stock available. Like us on Facebook to get weekly updates on what we currently have for sale.

Victoria J. Peterson

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Why Your Chicken Needs a Dust Bath

April 4, 2018April 30, 2020 by vjppoultry, posted in New Silkies

20180323_145950-1 All chickens should have access to dust baths. It doesn’t matter what breed or age of chicken, it is instinctual for them to wallow in the dust and dirt. It is their way of getting clean and practicing good hygiene.

When you first witness this dust bathing, you may think that something is wrong with your bird. It almost looks like they are in trouble or having a seizure. They are lying on their sides with one leg sticking out and the other scraping dirt and dust in kind of a circular motion. The wings are throwing dirt up into the air so that it falls back down on top of them. It looks scary , but it is perfectly normal.

Chickens will create a dust bath area all by themselves. A chicken scratches and digs out a bowl shaped depression in the dirt or will even use the shavings inside of the coop. The chicken settles into this hollow, fluffs up its feathers and then scratches up the dirt.

It might look like they are making a nest to lay eggs because it is round in shape but these are preparations for dust bathing. Chickens use their feet and wings to get loose dirt throughout their skin and feathers. Once they are completely covered in a layer of dirt, the bird will fluff and shake off the substance to evenly distribute it on their bodies.

A chicken’s dust bath helps to remove excess oil, as well as parasites such as lice, mites and ticks. Dust bathing is an important part of keeping chickens healthy and clean. It is important that your chicken has access to areas where dust bathing can take place. Most will look for a sunny spot with loose dirt. Even if they never get to free range, you can set up a dust bath in their coop or pen.

There are four main behaviors when dust bathing: vertical wing-shaking, head rubbing, bill raking and scratching with one leg. The hen scratches with her feet and beak at the ground. She then erects her feathers and lies down. They create deep bowls as they wiggle and squirm to get dirt deep under their feathers. They make happy noises while flipping dirt all over themselves. The dust collects between the feathers and then is shaken off. This helps to give the feathers good insulating abilities.

Chickens clean their feathers and skin by preening with their beaks and using an oil gland at the base of their tail. After a dust bath a hen will spend time primping and pecking at their feathers. This helps to smooth their feathers and removes sheaths on new feathers. Feather maintenance is very important. Birds of all kinds take dust baths and certain mammals do as well to keep clean and remove parasites.

Most dust bathing occurs in the middle of the day. Warm temperatures increase dust bathing behavior. Hens will tend to dust bath if they see other hens doing it. It ends up being a very social activity. It is not just hens that will dust bath, but roosters enjoy doing it as well.

The need for a dust bath is ingrained in their behavior. They will dig holes if you don’t provide them with a spot. Free ranging birds will find a place in your garden if you let them. Battery hens in cages will sham dust bathe. They will go through the motions of dust bathing even if there is no other material in their cages.

Here at VJP Poultry, we decided it was time to create some dust bathing areas inside of our runs. We used treated 1″ X 4″ lumber and made 18″ X 24″ boxes with no bottom. We set them in the run and filled them half full with play sand.

There are other things that you can use to create your dust bathing areas. Any large shallow pan such as a kitty litter pan or small kiddie pools. Fill it with a variety of substrates. Some examples would be : Fine sand, dry dirt, or peat moss.

Some people like to add food grade diatomaceous Earth or DE. The sharp edges pierce the soft body parts of parasites and kills them. Be careful with DE as it can be very harmful if inhaled and can damage lungs. Use a small amount as part of your substrate.

Firepit ash or ash from a wood stove is another product that can be used. Birds can absorb magnesium, calcium and vitamin K from the ash. Use ash from hardwood trees and make sure that if you remove it from your own fire pit that there isn’t any additional chemicals such as in treated lumber.

Dried herbs are natural pest repellents. They can get rid of mosquitoes, flies and ants as well as parasites such as mites, lice and ticks. They provide calming aroma therapy and have antibacterial properties to heal minor scratches and wounds. Add them to the substrate as well.

You can also purchase ready made dust bath products. It is easy to add to what ever other products you want in your dust bath mix.

Remember that you will need to periodically clean out your dust bath area. I pick out the big chunks daily and give it a good raking. A cover or a beach umbrella will help to keep out the rain. You want your dust bath to stay as dry as possible. One of those turtle sand boxes with a cover or any sandbox with a cover can make a great dusting area. If possible, move your dusting area inside in the winter to prevent the substrate from freezing.

Victoria J. Peterson

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