bantams and tempratures

[chickensgalore]

i'm getting into bantams soon and was wondering what is too cold for a bantam. living in southern michigan i keep a heat lamp in with the big girls if it gets really cold and it seems to keep them laying,but will the bantams be ok without heat.they'll have a small coop its about 16x30 and i'm thinking about getting 2 hens and a roo,will they snuggle enough when it gets below freezing?

 

[peepblessed]

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I don't know, but I'll send you back to the top!

 

[chickensgalore]

Well thank you

 

[brandislee]

I'm actually interested in this question as well, because when I first read it my only thought was "I sure hope so, I have three of them in my coop right now" (in south central MN). I would think that since they huddle together on the floor instead of roosting that they would do okay, esp. the feathered leg varieties (as I have- a silkie and two frizzles) as long as there are no floor level drafts.

 

[MixedBlessings]

Someone else interested in the question! I'm not TOO terribly worried about my main flock of bantams as they all huddle together, silkies and hard-feathered birds, and keep each other warm. But I have 3 Modern Game bantams on quarantine right now and I'm wondering if in a couple months I should move a couple "expendable" birds in with them to keep them warm. Of course, I'm in Virginia so I'm not dealing with the temps some people are -- we're just looking at upper teens to 20s at night and highs in the 30s and 40s during the day during the worst of winter.

 

[chickensgalore]

nobody has an opinion?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Depends on the size of the bantam, and also the feathering. Some breeds were NOT meant to be in cold weather, like Seramas - they shouldn't be outside without supplemental heat if the temps drop below about 40F. On the other hand, I have never supplemented heat to my bantam Faverolles or Ameraucanas. I just have to vaseline the combs of the Fav boys if it gets too far below freezing, and they get super warm drinking water at least twice a day if it's cold enough for their water to freeze. A couple years ago we had below freezing temps for several days in a row, and I ended up putting a heat lamp in the same corner as the waterers in most of my coops just to help combat the frozen water...

 

[chickensgalore]

thanks for the reply

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

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[chickensgalore]

these are the bantams i hope winter well