Another Molting Question and Cold Weather Concerns

[mobius]

It is in the teens here today with single temperatures with the wind chills. The water in my bantam coop was not frozen even though the pop hole was open all night, so mine must be above freezing. Mine won't go outside, they just go out into the tunnel made of bales used to block direct winds from blowing in the pop hole. They do generate some heat, and are quite happy and comfortable.

Hey @oldhenlikesdogs , how many banties and how big the coop? Sounds like it going great for them, little cuties! I know you have a lot of chickies and different fowl!

 

[mobius]

10 Degrees and Getting Colder Down By Boulder Dam That Day



I dunno, Maybelline, think we should let another one up here? Are your tootsies warm enough yet?



Molt? What Molt?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine won't go outside currently. I guess mine are all babies. They will eventually get used to the snow again and will venture out.

My bantam coop in built in the back corner of our barn. It is about 8x9. Three walls are insulated, and one is cinder block. There are 18 bantams in there currently.

I do run an unofficial zoo. Keeps me busy and happy. There are 66 chickens in my big shed, which is 40x40.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I don't have a current picture of the inside of my bantam coop. Here they are making use of their hay bale tunnel before we got snow.

 

[mobius]

Mine won't go outside currently. I guess mine are all babies. They will eventually get used to the snow again and will venture out.

My bantam coop in built in the back corner of our barn. It is about 8x9. Three walls are insulated, and one is cinder block. There are 18 bantams in there currently.

I do run an unofficial zoo. Keeps me busy and happy. There are 66 chickens in my big shed, which is 40x40.

Took mine about three days with the snow to venture out completely! The first day they were having none of it and seemed quite miffed...but I gave them some suet which apparently soothed their tiny hurt chicken feelings. Today, roosting in trees again. Silly birds.

Nice big coop for your banties, I must say! Since it is banties, I would give the eighteen a number of nine (meaning regular hens, my chicken math may be off). I was just wanting to gauge area vs number to understand better what it might take to warm-coop-by-bird.

 

[mobius]

So cute and tiny!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They are stinking cute. They are my favorites.

 

[mobius]

They are stinking cute. They are my favorites.

Awwwww!

8 a.m.
-1F outside
10F coop.

 

[mobius]

Hay bale it is! And will provide a little wind blockage, and I can hear Ophelia! "Girls, we have got a LOT to do here. We need to take this apart and scatter it, and then level it, and it could take days! Days I tell you! Get busy!"

The fellow at the feed store told me this was wheat straw and there might be wheat seeds in it, especially tempting for chickens!

Also, Now I wont have to spread straw on the snow for them, they can do it themselves!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They certainly are getting right to work at it.