buff orpington chickens and cold weather

[mulewagon]

Quote:
My Buff Orpingtons roost inside a chain link dog kennel. We set up slender tree trunks for perches. It's covered with a tarp, and wrapped on three sides at roost level. They've been fine even on mornings their water was frozen solid.

They need a place where they can get dry and where there's no crossdraft. And they don't need to perch on metal when it's freezing (it can stick to their feet!) So if they're perching on chainlink, they need to come inside. You can shove heavy branches into the corners of the kennel, through the chainlink, to make perches. Then wrap tarp around the top and sides. Don't try to close every gap - they'll need some ventilation up high, above the perch level. Even a setup like this can hold ammonia fumes if you're not careful.

If you can't catch them to put them inside, wait until they've gone to roost. If they aren't used to being handled, it may help to have two people. Pick each one up with your hands over her wings. If she gets her wings out and starts flapping, hold her away from your face until she pauses, and then get the wings under control. Then set her on the perch. It may take two people to open and guard the door if they decide to escape. (If they're really difficult to place like that, you can throw some bedding on the floor and shove them in.)

On the other hand, if they're currently not perching on metal, and if they have a top over them and a windbreak fairly close around them on three sides, they should be fine.

 

[Pam Allan]

I have a tarp over the kennel wire - so that isn't a problem. But I'm waiting until it gets dark and I'm going to try to cram as many as possible in the coop - if it's dark I can catch them without much problem. They settle pretty fast when I'm cuddling them. It's just too open out there and the wind is horrific. It's not like they have never been there since they occasionally go inside to lay eggs. It's got plenty of straw so it should be fairly cozy. The opening doesn't have a door so there will be some ventilation. I hate the thought of going outside in this weather but anything for my girls.

 

[dandelionheart]

Quote:
Ours have been roosting in the run instead of their coop - in the single digits. They seem happy and fine. Thrilled to get their hot oatmeal in the morning.

They are snuggly girls though. It is hard to do a head count sometimes since they all snuzzle together. But yeah, cold hardy. No heat lamps... just a warmer thingy from the farm store for their water.