Thanks for the note. They do appear to be a cold hardy breed. Our wintertime temperatures the past two years have been as low as -10F, with an average Jan/Feb temperature of 15F. Given the choice, the Spotteds will spend their days out of their protected pen and enclosed shed, rooting around in the snow. During major daytime storms, they like standing face into the wind, rather than going to shelter.
At night, they come into a shed I built them about a half hour before dusk, usually sleeping inside. During the winter I put up a few split pieces of cloth over their doorway to keep the cold blasts out (like a butchers refrigerated doorway) and they go in and out of this doorway (between a totally enclosed wire pen and this shed) at will.
According to the Holderread book, these bantams are very cold hardy. I'd concur, based on our experience with them in Maine. When their water freezes over (usually a few hours after we change it), they readily substitute snow for their fluid intake.
James
