- Mar 25, 2016
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Hi Folks,
I got my first Mille Fleur bearded D'uccle this spring. She is 32 weeks old. Has never layed an egg yet. Winter and cold weather is moving in and I don't know if she needs special accommodations for the winter. She has muffs, beard and feathered legs and a medium single comb. She looks like she has full winter gear but I have heard that this breed is not winter hardy. How do I know if she needs more winter protection?
We live in Pennsylvania and have pretty tough winters often into teens and single digits, sometimes for weeks at a time. My coop is very open. Bottom four feet is hardware wire and top is wood surround with roosting posts inside. My hens have nested in trees preferring that to old small tractor coop. I have electricity and have heat lamp and timer, that I haven't been using yet this impending winter. All of my other breeds are winter hardy so I don't wish to overheat. I have tarp covering coop now to keep out wind and help hold heat. Worked fine last year but MFD'u is new this winter. I am considering making wooden panels to fit in front of wire mesh. I have a wooden platform on one level with two wooden sides and I would think it the warmest part of coop, least drafty, but she isn't choosing to sleep there.
Any suggestions/recommendations?
Thanks!
I got my first Mille Fleur bearded D'uccle this spring. She is 32 weeks old. Has never layed an egg yet. Winter and cold weather is moving in and I don't know if she needs special accommodations for the winter. She has muffs, beard and feathered legs and a medium single comb. She looks like she has full winter gear but I have heard that this breed is not winter hardy. How do I know if she needs more winter protection?
We live in Pennsylvania and have pretty tough winters often into teens and single digits, sometimes for weeks at a time. My coop is very open. Bottom four feet is hardware wire and top is wood surround with roosting posts inside. My hens have nested in trees preferring that to old small tractor coop. I have electricity and have heat lamp and timer, that I haven't been using yet this impending winter. All of my other breeds are winter hardy so I don't wish to overheat. I have tarp covering coop now to keep out wind and help hold heat. Worked fine last year but MFD'u is new this winter. I am considering making wooden panels to fit in front of wire mesh. I have a wooden platform on one level with two wooden sides and I would think it the warmest part of coop, least drafty, but she isn't choosing to sleep there.
Any suggestions/recommendations?
Thanks!