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Feeding Strategies for Silkie Chickens in the Winter
Feeding chickens in the winter is a little different than feeding chickens during the rest of the year. During nice weather, chickens love to forage and free range in the pasture looking for the choicest bits of protein and green roughage. They are so happy and content and their minds are fully occupied. In the winter, however, there are limited opportunities to free range. They do not like snow and in Minnesota their chance of finding bugs is slim to none.
Hens that are laying eggs need extra protein all year round and its not just the right kind of food but the right amount of food that is important as well. As winter approaches , a chicken’s feed consumption will be 1.5 times the amount they eat in the spring and summer. You will notice an increase in your feed bill and you will be filling those feeding dish more often.
This increase in food consumption is due to the fact that they are coming off of their fall molt and need energy to regrow feathers. They are also using more energy in order to keep warm in the winter. They can’t just put on another sweater. They have to generate body heat to keep themselves from freezing. If they were free rangers they no longer have access to free food in the form of bugs and greens. Instead they will be increasing their feed consumption in their feeding bowls.
The most important thing to remember when feeding in the winter is to make sure that they are getting plenty of their regular, nutritious feed. Some people have their hens on layer food which has calcium in it. It is around 16% protein. I like to feed mine a Gamebird feed which has a higher percent of protein. I think that silkies benefit all year round from that higher 24% protein. These basic feeds are created to give your bird the correct amount of vitamins and minerals that they need. This is what they should be eating most of the day. Add Oyster shell to the feed for eggshell development. I also put vitamins in their water because I think that silkies need that extra amount of nutrients.
Carbohydrate treats help to keep your birds warm especially on exceptionally cold days. The best sources are what you would find in chicken scratch. Cracked corn, oats and wheat. Scratch scattered around the coop or run will also give the birds something to do and keep them occupied. Remember to offer grit with the scratch. In the winter the small rocks in your run may be covered in snow not allowing the chickens to find their own grit. They need the grit in their crops in order to grind up these scratch grains.
Some people make a nice bowl of warm oatmeal for their chickens on cold mornings. It is a great treat to warm up their insides. Just use regular breakfast oatmeal but make sure that you are not serving it too hot. Cracked corn is a wonderful winter treat. I give mine to my silkies right before bedtime. They will go to bed with a full crop and be warm all night. Watch out for cracked corn turning white silkie’s feathers a yellow tinge on their necks and crests. I usually feed oatmeal instead of corn to the whites. Also, be aware that too many carbohydrates will make your chickens overweight. A heavy hen is not a good layer so be careful with the amount of treats. Treats should be given later in the day as the birds need the nutrients from their main feed first.
Sprouting grains and fodder is a great way to bring the goodness of the outdoor summer pasture all year round. Sprouting grains can increase the enzyme, vitamin and protein content of any seed. I have sprouted and fed my birds both oats and wheat. If you would like to learn how to sprout check out “Sprouting Grains and Growing Fodder” in our blog archives.
Live mealworms can be grown at home or ordered as a fun protein treat. You can grow them using wheat bran as bedding. If you are not sure that you want to deal with live mealworms, they also have the dried form which the birds also enjoy. You can also order live crickets which your hens will have no trouble gobbling up. There are freeze dried crickets as well.
Boredom is common during the winter in the coop. You don’t want the birds to turn on each other in desperation for something new and interesting to do. Try hanging a cabbage or head of lettuce in one of these treat balls. They will spend hours trying to get at those leafy vegetables. Be sure and feed extra greens such as kale, collard, chard and spinach. Leftovers from your salads are great for them as are any kitchen scraps.
Flock Blocks are popular because they lasts a long time. Chickens have an instinct to peck at things. Better to have them pecking at a flock block than pecking at each other during the winter months.
If you are offering treats to your flock outside in the winter, make sure that you are placing it in some kind of bowl or feeding dish. The ground can be very wet outside in the winter. If you sprinkle food on the ground it will get soggy. Birds do not like soggy food. Make sure you clean up any left over food and pellets. If you don’t it will attract pests such as mice. Store extra food safely in sealable containers so you don’t attract predators.
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
Managing Laying Hens in the Winter
For most chickens, winter is a time of rest and repair. They have just finished a long summer of laying and their bodies are depleted of energy. Most people will see a decrease in egg production from their flock as the days grow shorter. It is discouraging to think that one might have to start buying eggs from the grocery store again. We miss those beautiful golden yolked eggs.
Chickens will stop laying during the year for many different weather related reasons. Hot spells, storms, steady rain can all have an effect on how the girls are laying but almost all hens dramatically slow down in winter for the entire season. All breeds reduce egg production but the silkie never has had a steady egg production to begin with. You might see nary an egg until spring.
First of all it isn’t natural for hens to lay at all in the winter, but selective breeding has made it possible to continue to get eggs all year long. Hens instinctively know that winter is not a good time to be raising a brood of chicks but they can be tricked into thinking that spring is on the way.
Reduction in egg laying is caused by two factors. The first is the molt. A molt causes the replacement of feather on the chickens body by shedding all of the old feathers and growing new ones.
Feathers are made out of protein. Replacing all these feathers is very hard on the hen. After the fall molt she needs a rest and a break from laying. Increasing the amount of protein in the diet will decrease the time it takes for the hen to regrow her feathers and return to laying.
Make sure that you have a good Gamebird feed that is high in protein. Feather Fixer is also a feed that many people use during a molt. In addition there are high protein treats available to help with new feathers growing in. Mealworm Frenzy is a dried mealworm supplement but you can also serve the live mealworms to your birds. Omega Fields has a high protein chicken supplement that can help with new feather growing and cat fish pellets or fish choware high protein treats. Remember that these supplements are for treats only. They should not replace a good Gamebird feed which also includes needed vitamins and minerals.
During a molt reduce their stress level. Don’t move them to new quarters or introduce new flock members. Increase their regular feed so that it is around 20-22% protein.
The second reason for a decline in laying has to do with the length of daylight. Shorter days are telling the hen to suspend laying because it is not a good time to hatch out a family of baby chicks. For more information on the effects of shortened days check out “Changes to Silkies as the Days Grow Shorter.”
One way to increase the rate of lay is to manipulate the length of day using artificial lights in the coop. You don’t need much light to fool the hens into thinking that the days are getting longer. A 25-40 watt bulb is sufficient to do the trick.
I use 40 watt Led bulbs on a manual on/off night light fixture. You plug the entire assembly into a timer and plug it into an outlet. You could even use a string of Christmas lights on a timer.
Have the lights on a set schedule with the timer, not just whenever you think about turning the lights one. Erratic lighting will encourage chickens to molt which you do not want in the winter. They need their feathers in order to keep them warm in the winter.
The combined artificial and natural light should total around 14 hours. Make sure that the supplemental light is coming on during the morning hours. If you do it in the evening it will confuse the birds to have the lights suddenly go off and them may not make it to their usual night time spot. This will cause them stress.
Set the timers so the light comes on between 4 am and 8 am. Remember to check periodically to make sure that the bulb is still working. Make sure you have a back up plan in case there is a power outage. Battery powered camping lanterns work well.
If your birds are getting up at 4 am they probably are not getting outside until sunrise. Your chickens may get bored during this time. This can result in them pecking at each other. Food and water should be inside the coop so they have something to do. Chicken toys such as Treat Balls and Peck and Play balls relieve boredom. If you are a late sleeper you could install an Automatic Coop Door where you could decide when you wanted them let out.
One other thing that can influence egg laying is the temperature outside. The colder it is, the less eggs seem to be laid. Heat lamps, which create warmth, can stimulate laying. 250 watt red bulbs give the feeling of night time. For more information on heat lamps check out “Heat Lamp Use.” Sweeter Heaters also create warmth in the coop.
Silkies are very hardy in winter temperatures far below freezing. If their eggs remain at these temps for too long they will crack. It takes temperatures below the freezing point for eggs to crack. That means they need to be 28 degrees or lower for there to be a problem. Hopefully a silkie will cover the eggs until you can pick them up or that a soft bed of pine shavings can act as an insulator.
Make sure that your hens have plenty of water in the winter. If their water is frozen most of the time this will lead a huge drop in egg productivity. Hens need a great deal of water to create an egg. Use a heated water base to make sure that the water is always open. For more information on using heated water bases check out “ Using Heated Water Bases. ” at the VJP Poultry blog.
In addition, offer supplemental oyster shell so that the hens have plenty of calcium for eggshell formation.
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
Respiratory Health in the Silkie Chicken Flock
During this cold snap you may hear some strange sounds coming from your flock. All of a sudden you may hear a high pitched squeak which begins to sound like a sneeze. That is a red flag that one of your birds may becoming down with some kind of respiratory issue. Upon closer examination you may see that your bird has a runny nose or watery eyes. This is the time to take action and isolate that bird from the rest of the flock.
Respiratory issues in poultry can be either a minor problem or a major problem depending on the severity of it. Most of the time it can be easily dealt with. However, there are some deadly respiratory diseases that can effect your entire flock and medicine will need to be given.
One cause of sneezing and cold- like symptoms in poultry can be all of the dust that can collect in a coop. Chickens can cough, splutter and get watery eyes if they breath too much dust in. Dust can come from the pine shaving you use as bedding or just from the dander on the birds themselves. You may want to switch to a dust free bedding or use sand or straw. Use an air hose to blow out the dust in the coop periodically. Install fans to blow air out or the coop so that dust can’t collect. Let your birds free range when they can or be out in their runs all year.
When cleaning the coop and changing bedding it would be a good idea for you, too, to wear some kind of face or mask protection. Dust, dirt and chicken feces particles and not good for your lungs. People that work in the poultry industry routinely wear masks when cleaning.
Any kind of stress can also cause your chicken to start to display respiratory distress. Extreme temperatures , being transported and crowded conditions all add to a lowering of the immune system and coughing and sneezing can result. Make sure that your coop is not too crowded and that the coop is well ventilated. You need fresh air freely flowing through the coop.
The introduction of a new bird to the flock can cause stress as a new pecking order needs to be established. Chickens love routine and anything that is new or different can stress them out. That new bird could also be a carrier and be bringing in new viruses. Quarantine is very important when adding new birds. A minimum of three weeks is needed to protect the rest of your flock from incoming diseases. Buy chickens from trustworthy sources who you know have healthy birds.
Check your birds daily for signs of respiratory illness. Symptoms include sneezing or sniffling, runny nose or mucus coming out of the nose, watery eyes or swollen sinuses. Isolate the bird if you see these symptoms in a crate and if possible keep it where you can observe it. Your bird is contagious. Change the bedding in the coop to try and keep germs from spreading to the rest of your flock. Treat with some Vetrx around the nostrils or even in the water. Use some Terramycin or Vetericyn in the eyes if they are watery or are closing shut.
You can bolster your bird’s immune system by giving them probiotics and plain yogurt. Chopped garlic added to the water is good for the immune system. So is adding dill, oregano and thyme to the feed. I always add apple cider vinegar to my chicken’s water water to help with digestion and to improve health. Vitamins and electrolytes also work well for overall health.
There are some serious respiratory diseases:
| Disease | Occurrence in Backyard Flocks | Distinctive Signs of Illness | Average Mortality Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mycoplasmosis | Common | Foamy eye discharge, more common in winter, roosters usually show more severe signs |
Usually none |
| Infectious coryza | Common | Swollen face or wattles, gunky eyes, foul odor, more common summer and fall |
5–20 percent |
| Infectious bronchitis | Common | Decreased egg production | Usually none |
| Newcastle disease | Mild strains are common. Highly deadly strains are absent from chickens in the United States. |
May also cause diarrhea, staggering, paralysis, sudden death |
5–99 percent |
| Fowl cholera (chronic form) | Not so common | Swollen face, gunky eyes, rattling or difficulty breathing, more common in late summer |
0–20 percent |
| Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) | Not so common | Gasping, coughing up bloody mucous, dried blood around nostrils and lower beak |
10–20 percent |
| Avian influenza | Rare (Deadly strains are absent from chickens in the United States) |
Droopy birds, rattling breathing sounds, diarrhea, sudden death |
5–99 percent |
*taken from Chicken Health For Dummies
If you feel that your chickens have one of these diseases, you should probably call a vet. They will give you antibiotic for their water or antibiotics given with injections.
The problem with these more serious diseases is that the symptoms are the same as lesser illnesses. Unless you do a blood test you will never know for sure what you have. Treatment is the same for any respiratory disease. Complete recovery may take 2-4 weeks. Your bird may recover but become a long term carrier of the infection. A healthy looking hen could be contagious to others because she carries the disease.
Vibatra is an all natural antibiotic alternative. Homeopathic sprays are another natural alternative to antibiotics.
Amoxfin is an antibiotic used for tropical fish that you can get over the internet and put in their water. Tylan is an antibiotic injection that you can find at places that sell chicken supplies.
It is important to know whether your bird is contagious if you are planning on selling birds or if you take them to shows.
Silkies have a hard time seeing with their large crests and muffs. Many times I will see eye issues because feathers had lodged themselves into their eyes and are acting as a irritant. Keep their crests and muffs trimmed if this is an issue.
Some people think that silkies need more vitamins than other breeds of chickens. You may want to feed them a better quality feed or give them vitamins in their water to help their immune system. Check out “When Something Is Wrong With My Silkie”
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
How to Prevent and Treat Frostbite in Your Flock
It has been said that a good offence is a good defense where frostbite is concerned. There are, in fact, things that can be done before frostbite happens that can prevent this serious damage from occurring.
Many people have misconceptions as to what frostbite actually is. Frostbite is damage that occurs to tissues when they are exposed to extreme cold. Basically, the fluid inside the cells freeze. Because of this freezing, blood clots can form which prevents cells from getting oxygen. This, then, causes the tissue damage.
You want to prevent frostbite from happening in the first place. Too much moisture in your coop is the top cause for developing frostbite. Chickens create a lot of moisture just from breathing. The more birds you have in your coop, the more you need to ventilate that moisture out. I keep the windows open all year round. They are high enough so that they do not cause a draft. Adding roof vents to your coop can keep air circulating. Put a digital thermometer/hygrometer to measure the temperature and the humidity in your coop so that you can always be on top of any changes. If the windows have moisture or condensation on them then you need to increase your ventilation.
Another way to limit moisture in the coop is to make sure that you do not have damp bedding or moisture from droppings. If possible, keep waterers out of the coop. If you have a watering system that creates a lot of spillage, you may want to switch to a nipple water system. Pine shavings stay dryer than straw or hay. Make sure you are changing the bedding and removing the droppings to reduce moisture. The dry litter method works well but remember to keep the bedding stirred up and fluffy. Use dropping boards under your roosts for easy clean up daily.
Attention should be made to the chicken’s roost. During colder weather, most chickens will fluff up and poof out their feather. They are trying to cover their combs, wattles and feet with their feathers and bodies. Flat, wide roosting boards are best. Rounded perches can be slippery. A 2X4 board will work well and allow them to cover their feet with their bodies. Install as much ventilation as you can as high up as you can. The openings should not cause drafts on their roosts. Silkies that do not roost high up but instead sleep on the floor will need extra protection from drafts that can occur from pop doors. I use squares of reflective insulation to block drafts.
Apply a coat of a wax based product to combs and wattles at night. I like Waxlene or Musher’s Secret. Other good choices are Bag Balm or Coconut oil. Make sure that whatever you use, that it is wax based. Do not use a cream based product as the water in them will freeze and increase your chance of frostbite. If your bird is hard to catch, wait until it is on the roost at night and then gently remove to apply the product.
Chickens need protection outdoors as well. Provide windbreaks through the use of clear tarps. For more information on setting up tarps on your run look here. Add wooden planks to perch on outdoor so that their feet can keep off the cold ground. If it is too cold out, just simply keep them indoors. It won’t hurt them to stay inside for the day.
There are many things to can lead to frostbite. Drafts on the floor, cold temperatures, wind chill factor, how long your bird is exposed to cold temperature, humidity or moisture in the air, high altitude, no access to shelter, rain or snow leaking into the coop, high humidity due to too many droppings or simply not enough bedding.
The early sages of frostbite are called frost nip. In cold weather, chickens are able to conserve or hang onto their body heat by restricting blood flow to their combs, wattles and feet. These are also the places that allow a bird to release heat in the summertime. The results ends up being that the decrease in warmth and oxygen puts these regions at a risk for frostbite.
Wattles are very susceptible due to water dripping on them as they drink. A change to a nipple watering system with a pail and pail deicer can work in the cold weather. They also sell a cold weather nipple system already put together. Bearded silkies have their wattles protected with feathers but nonbearded silkies would need some frostbite protection.
Symptoms of frostbite include: a whitening or pale gray color to tissues, swelling of the tissues, combs and wattles feel cold or hard to the touch, blisters form that are filled with fluid, tissues become blackened, bird is limping (frostbite to feet) loss of appetite and listlessness.
Remove a frostbitten bird to a warmer area and gradually warm the injured area. Avoid rubbing it as that will cause additional damage Do not use something like a hair dryer to try to warm it but let it gradually become warmer. Do not break any blisters that have formed. Do not remove the blackened tissue as this is protecting the healthy tissue under it. The blackened part will dry up and eventually fall off. Those areas will not grow back.
Keep the area clean with neosporin or Vetericyn VF Hydrogel spray. Use it on the infected area 2-3 times a day until it is healed. Watch out for infection. If you see swelling, redness, oozing, or bad smelling discharge you may want to call a vet. Soak frostbitten feet in lukewarm water and keep it indoors on soft bedding.
Watch to make sure that they are eating and drinking . Add vitamins and electrolytes to their water to keep them hydrated. Watch out for other chickens pecking at their frostbitten areas. Blue -Kote could help with that. Frostbite takes around 6 weeks to heal.
The consequences of frostbite include pain for the bird, disfigurement (their combs will always look rounded), loss of movement in their feet, decreased fertility in roosters and loss of egg production in hens.
Luckily, silkies have walnut combs which give them protection from frostbite. If you live in areas of cold weather try to choose breeds of birds that have small combs. Single comb birds have the worst time with frostbite, but even small combed breeds can suffer if it gets cold enough.
Other blogs of interest include How to Deal with Below Zero Temps in the Chicken Coop, and Tips For Winterizing You Chicken Run.
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
VJP Poultry 