Cochin Bantams and Frizzle Cochin Bantams!!

[Tashaf]

Anyone near north central Texas?

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I'm in NW Arkansas. Not too close. But Hello anyway!

 

[dawn secord]

HI all, I have a hen that was acquired in June from a friend who passed away - sudden heart attack. She'd wanted me to take a chicken from her. To honor her, I did. I went to her house to pick out two hens, we went into her coop after dark so the hens would be easier to catch.

I have two small coops. One with silkies and one with large leghorns. I'd wanted to get two large hens for the leghorn coop. I am a small hobbiest and there is a rooster in each coop along with two hens.

When I went to pick out two hens from the hen house, there was this little old frizzle on the ground, hiding in the corner on the ground. All the other hens were up roosting. This little bantam cochin frizzle had most certainly been picked on. My heart broke when I saw her. I had to take her. (I also got a larger hen for the leghorn coop.) So now each coop has 1 rooster and 3 hens.

I brought her home and put her in with my silkies. They got along great immediately. Now it is getting cold and I'm worried about the little frizzle with her twisted feathers properly insulating her in the winter. She is adorable and the sweetest thing. I am her third home.

My coops are pretty large and have a large roosting area raised about the ground - fully enclosed except for a hole in which to enter. The hole enters into a large fenced in run. The raised roosting/nesting box section is about 4 feet wide by 4 feet deep and three feet high. I have plastic wrapped around the outer 3 sides of the nesting box area at night to stop any drafts. It would be extremely difficult to cover the entrance hole.

I live in Southern California. It was 44 degrees out last night. It does get to freezing here during the winter and only at night - and not every night. It was almost 70 degrees out today - daytime hours. Those are pretty normal temperatures.

Do I need to do anything else for my little frizzle hen? I have the inside nesting box in the coop bedded down with shavings. She doesn't roost like my silkies, but at least has gotten brave enough to sleep with them at night. She lays on the floor of the nesting box in the shavings. There is a nesting box with straw if she'd want to get in it, but she only lays eggs there. If this set up is not going to keep her warm enough, can someone recommend a heating source?

Thank you for any advice you can offer.

 

[WVduckchick]

HI all,  I have a hen that was acquired in June from a friend who passed away - sudden heart attack.   She'd wanted me to take a chicken from her.  To honor her, I did.  I went to her house to pick out two hens, we went into her coop after dark so the hens would be easier to catch.  

I have two small coops.  One with silkies and one with large leghorns.   I'd wanted to get two large hens for the leghorn coop.  I am a small hobbiest and there is a rooster in each coop along with two hens.

When I went to pick out two hens from the hen house, there was this little old frizzle on the ground, hiding in the corner on the ground.  All the other hens were up roosting.  This little bantam cochin frizzle had most certainly been picked on.   My heart broke when I saw her.    I had to take her.   (I also got a larger hen for the leghorn coop.)   So now each coop has 1 rooster and 3 hens.

I brought her home and put her in with my silkies.  They got along great immediately.   Now it is getting cold and I'm worried about the little frizzle with her twisted feathers properly insulating her in the winter.   She is adorable and the sweetest thing.  I am her third home.

My coops are pretty large and have a large roosting area raised about the ground - fully enclosed except for a hole in which to enter.  The hole enters into a large fenced in run.  The raised roosting/nesting box section is about 4 feet wide by 4 feet deep and three feet high.    I have plastic wrapped around the outer 3 sides of the nesting box area at night to stop any drafts.  It would be extremely difficult to cover the entrance hole.

I live in Southern California.  It was 44 degrees out last night.  It does get to freezing here during the winter and only at night - and not every night.  It was almost 70 degrees out today - daytime hours.  Those are pretty normal temperatures.

Do I need to do anything else for my little frizzle hen?   I have the inside nesting box in the coop bedded down with shavings.   She doesn't roost like my silkies, but at least has gotten brave enough to sleep with them at night.   She lays on the floor of the nesting box in the shavings.   There is a nesting box with straw if she'd want to get in it, but she only lays eggs there.  If this set up is not going to keep her warm enough, can someone recommend a heating source?

Thank you for any advice you can offer.

Very nice of you to take her in.

Do you know how old she is? If she is over 6-8 weeks old, those temps should be no problem for her.

I suspect if your silkies have accepted her, she will start to roost with them soon too. Possibly even huddle with them for warmth if necessary.

Congrats on your new chicks. Post pics when you get a chance.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

@dawn secord

Congrats on your new additions. I had a frizzle who would never roost either and he slept on the floor in shavings. We get below freezing during the winter quite often and he seemed to do just fine. I think their feather insulate them just fine, they just look different.

I agree with WV - pictures please.

 

[dawn secord]

I have no idea how old she is. She was an adult when my friend acquired her. Her feet are pretty old looking. Here are some photos from this morning. I let them out to forage in a covered "courtyard". We have hawks and owls in the trees in our yard. Last month a chicken hawk was sitting on the gate 4 feet from them. My husband has worked very hard to make a safe night time house and a day yard. Fully enclosed - like Fort Knox.

Here they are in their coop, then letting them out of the coop and lastly a close up of her head. It is pecked bald - some tiny feathers are here or there. I've had her since June. Perhaps she will get some feathers on her head eventually.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

She looks very happy with her new flock. Maybe she will have feathers grow in if there was a bird in the other flock that had been picking on her. She looks plenty fluffy. I wouldn't worry too much about her in the winter.

 

[WVduckchick]

Wow, that is a red head!
Very pretty though. Has she molted yet? I would think the feathers would regrow when she does.

Pretty silkies too!

 

[dawn secord]

She hasn't molted yet. I was hoping her head feathers would come in then. Isn't she a little heart breaker. Thanks for the kind word on my silkies

 

[Puddin Fluff]