Bantam Owners: Do you let your bantys go out in the cold?

[mtnchicks]

I'd let them out. My bantys go out all the time, it was 4 degrees last night (heat lamp kept hen house at around 20, warmer directly under it), 7 degrees when I opened the door this morning. They all crowded out. My Japanese roo kept standing on one leg to warm his other foot, then switching feet. The d'uccles come out for a bit, go in to warm up, then come back out. They know when they're too cold. I put vaseline on the roo's comb, because of frostbite concerns. The d'uccles do seem to feel the cold a bit more, they start shivering and then go inside before the others get the choice spot directly under the lamp. But they have always been fine as long as they can go in to warm up. I don't even think about plugging in the heat lamp unless it will be below 15 or 20 degrees for extended periods.

 

[paganfish]

I have about 13 bantam birds and a Seabright roo. Yes, I let them run free in the cold. (It was 25 out there earlier and they were happy as can be scratching through whatever snow had not melted.) I keep them indoors most of the time because of hawks but, otherwise, they'd roam free like my standards. So, I go out there and hang with them while the forage.

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

We have 2 Mille fleur and a silver seabrite. they all run with the big girls outside. our 2 millie's have survived 2 winters with no problems. the seabrite we rescued last winter, it didnt have access to a shelter or heat and had frostbite on most of it's toes. its doing better now and stays inside of its own accord on cold days.