Bantam chickens.. a friendly discussion about all pure and mixed breeds.

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Gosh Sybil and Winston are sooo pretty! I've had eight roosters in my house every night for the past 4 months! They go live on a farm tomorrow!!! I can't wait to get my house back!! (until the next time someone needs to come in!! HA!). Birds in the house are kind of fun! I loved raising my chicks in the house. Those puppy tents turned out to be great brooders! Enjoy your cold snap with a birdie house!

Haha, wow, that's a lot of roosters!! Glad you found them a good home! I love having the brooder in the house, too! It's so sad when they move out and the brooder is so empty and quiet afterward... If I had more coop space, I'd be hatching all the time to prevent that.

Roosters are a whole 'nother animal in the house, though. Last winter we had temps plunge into the negative teens (Fahrenheit) as the high for a spell and I had to bring 6 full grown roosters inside to help with swelling frostbite that they all got pretty badly. There was so. Much. CROWING! It was crazy! Even crazier was trying to get them back outside, when one of them escaped and then flew from the top of the stairs across the living room and about landed in the fireplace (thankfully unlit)!! Needless to say, I'm willing to do some crazy stuff to make sure my birdies are safe.

Bantam roost bar question!!
I see quoted a lot that 2x4s with the 4 inch side horizontal are the best for chickens so that they can get their feet under them and stay warm. What about bantams? My roost bars are much smaller But I'd happily switch them out. What are people's opinions on this? My current roost bars are probably sold as 2x2s but in actuality measure just 1.5" across. Here is a photo of my sleepers at night. They are still babies and have only been successfully "roosting" for about three weeks now. Their favorite sleeping position before was the dog pile! The coldest it's been is 29*F. There is a third roost bar which they also use but didn't on this particular night. One thing I love is that most nights my two boys roost next to each other!! I am cruel and enjoy taking photos of them roosting in the dark with the flash...oops.

You're fine! The stuff about 2x4s flat side up is very overstated, and not necessarily the truth. You can see in the picture you added that your birds are covering their feet just fine on your 2x2 roosts.

 

[chickens really]

Bantam roost bar question!!
I see quoted a lot that 2x4s with the 4 inch side horizontal are the best for chickens so that they can get their feet under them and stay warm. What about bantams? My roost bars are much smaller But I'd happily switch them out. What are people's opinions on this? My current roost bars are probably sold as 2x2s but in actuality measure just 1.5" across. Here is a photo of my sleepers at night. They are still babies and have only been successfully "roosting" for about three weeks now. Their favorite sleeping position before was the dog pile! The coldest it's been is 29*F. There is a third roost bar which they also use but didn't on this particular night. One thing I love is that most nights my two boys roost next to each other!! I am cruel and enjoy taking photos of them roosting in the dark with the flash...oops.View attachment 1949644

I also have the flat side up. Even my Silkies will Roost too.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yup, mine are flat side up, too (it was the easiest way to install them with my setup), and all of my birds, large and small, use them just fine.

 

[chickens really]

Yup, mine are flat side up, too (it was the easiest way to install them with my setup), and all of my birds, large and small, use them just fine.

2X4s flat side up is what I've always used. Even young chicks will begin to Roost because they can lay on the board.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

2x4s for years here, too, mostly because they're easy to install. I've used 2x2s as well, but ended up switching away from them because my big fat LF hens actually cracked some of them when they were all perching together.

Only thing I don't like about the flat side up 2x4s is that sometimes, some of my hens will perch 'long ways' on them so that they poop all over them in the night. Silly birds!

 

[chickens really]

2x4s for years here, too, mostly because they're easy to install. I've used 2x2s as well, but ended up switching away from them because my big fat LF hens actually cracked some of them when they were all perching together.

Only thing I don't like about the flat side up 2x4s is that sometimes, some of my hens will perch 'long ways' on them so that they poop all over them in the night. Silly birds!

Yes. I just use a wire brush once in awhile on them..

 

[chickens really]

@Alexandra33
Congrats on the November picture of your Sebright Hen. Absolutely beautiful. A fantastic Fall Chicken photo..

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yes. I just use a wire brush once in awhile on them..

I have a 3-inch stiff scraper I use to scrape them off every time I scoop out the dropping trays. It's just that it's gross and I wish they'd stop doing it.

@Alexandra33
Congrats on the November picture of your Sebright Hen. Absolutely beautiful. A fantastic Fall Chicken photo..

Oh, wow, I didn't notice that that was your picture, @Alexandra33 !! Congrats, and gorgeous bird!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

@chickens really I just wanted to say, I get a real kick every time you like one of my posts. It reads like the chickens, themselves, really liked what I posted.

 

[chickens really]

@chickens really I just wanted to say, I get a real kick every time you like one of my posts. It reads like the chickens, themselves, really liked what I posted.

View attachment 1949951

I know......Wasn't planned either. Im chickens really because that's what my husband said when I told him I was getting my first chickens..
Definitely your not the first person to tell me..