1st yr keeping duccles "not cold hardy" , what should that mean to me in willamette valley, Oregon?

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Jazkabor

Jazkabor

In the Brooder
10 Years
Jan 20, 2010
71
1
41
Willamette Valley, Oregon
My pic is the coop they are in we only have 3, not sure they really generate much heat. We get a couple inches of snow a year that melts in a couple days. Most winter issues we have around here is needing to scape iced windshields. This coop is similar to ones in front of the coastal or wilco (feed ) stores. House is about 2'x3' plus extended nest boxes adding 3sq feet so. 9 square feet total.

I have always made sure to buy heavy weight birds labeled cold hardy, we are so mild I knew they'd be fine.

My sons 4h birds are a different story.:) Please share your exp. thanks
 
They'll be fine. Our winters are relatively mild, and just keeping their coop dry and clean will be sufficient. MIne seem to do perfectly fine with no extra treatment.
 
I've had four, and have never had any problems. I also have silkies which are even less cold-hardy and they don't have trouble either. I think when you get closer to the 0 degree F is when you need to start worrying.
 
How do you keep your duccles? We are planning to give this coop a two inch deep sand floor. To keep there boots from getting damaged and to keep them dry. Will yours fly? I don't like the ramp in their coop, one was hurt as soon as the rain came. We had another light trio in there all summer and the were happy to jump up that 12" when I removed the ramp. The duccles ran around like .... Chickens! as night time came, so we went out and put it back. Silly things. Lol
 
I have a bantam coop separated from the large fowl and they do great. It's 4ftx4ft 2ft off the ground with a ramp, and the roost is 1.5 ft up I think. My coop has shavings in it and their 10ftx10ft run is sand. I feel like sand in the coop would be icky with all the rain we get and when it gets really cold it'll just freeze and suck the heat out of the coop, which is where you want it to be warmest.
 
Oh, maybe I still say the wrong words, I meant thee run under the house. I'm either going to use shavings or straw in the house. I like the straw best, it ha sa metal floor that I don't think would be well covered with shavings after they've scratched it around.
 
I have no idea. I think just daily activities can cause feather breakage. Mine has pretty good boots but I use shavings. I don't see why straw would cause breakage.
 

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