thecatumbrella
Furiously Foraging
My bantam flock recently dropped from 7 to 4. This is my first year with them, and I want to make sure they'll be able to endure the winter as a small group in my setup. If not, I'll start making other arrangements.
-The Flock-
3 are Cochin (Pekin) Bantams. They'll weigh about 2 lbs, are almost pure feathers from head to toe, and have a smaller single comb. 1 is a d'Uccle. She weighs about 20 ounces, has a beards, muffs, and boots, but also a larger single comb that could be subject to frostbite.
-The Weather-
I'm in Zone 5 and winters can get into the single digits overnight. Coldest I've seen here is -20F.
-My Primary Setup-
I put polycarbonate panels around my covered run with 12" ventilation gaps at the top. My coop is inside the run. I have an Eglu Cube with wooden roost inserts for them to cover their feet and extra bedding. The Cube is surprisingly well ventilated in winter if you keep the number of chickens down. It keeps the drafts off them, and the smaller footprint (roosting side is about 2'x3') lets the birds raise the internal temp a degree or two. I've seen people mount a heated chick pad to the side wall for a little extra coziness, but I've never tested this myself. I know people will want to comment on the size of the coop, and I hear you (believe me), but it's a long story and this is what they're using right at this moment.
-Basement Setup-
I have a basement "coop" (it's a 3x8 stock tank). These birds aren't faring well on 95+ degree days, so they'll hang out in the basement setup for an afternoon and I'll put them out in the morning. I could obviously use it in the same way for winter during really cold snaps, if needed. I prefer not to, but I foolishly bought a small number of sensitive birds, so it's there for their use. I also see the irony of their basement coop being larger than their actual coop. It's a mess, I know.
-Potential Changes-
We might be able to build something for them before winter. I can't make any promises, but it would be a walk-in 5x6 that would allow for a sweeter heater above the roost bar.
Thoughts? I'm worried there's not enough bodies to keep warm. I also have zero experience overwintering bantams, so maybe they'll be fine. Let me know. And is there a minimum number of birds you would not go below?
Thanks for your help.
-The Flock-
3 are Cochin (Pekin) Bantams. They'll weigh about 2 lbs, are almost pure feathers from head to toe, and have a smaller single comb. 1 is a d'Uccle. She weighs about 20 ounces, has a beards, muffs, and boots, but also a larger single comb that could be subject to frostbite.
-The Weather-
I'm in Zone 5 and winters can get into the single digits overnight. Coldest I've seen here is -20F.
-My Primary Setup-
I put polycarbonate panels around my covered run with 12" ventilation gaps at the top. My coop is inside the run. I have an Eglu Cube with wooden roost inserts for them to cover their feet and extra bedding. The Cube is surprisingly well ventilated in winter if you keep the number of chickens down. It keeps the drafts off them, and the smaller footprint (roosting side is about 2'x3') lets the birds raise the internal temp a degree or two. I've seen people mount a heated chick pad to the side wall for a little extra coziness, but I've never tested this myself. I know people will want to comment on the size of the coop, and I hear you (believe me), but it's a long story and this is what they're using right at this moment.
-Basement Setup-
I have a basement "coop" (it's a 3x8 stock tank). These birds aren't faring well on 95+ degree days, so they'll hang out in the basement setup for an afternoon and I'll put them out in the morning. I could obviously use it in the same way for winter during really cold snaps, if needed. I prefer not to, but I foolishly bought a small number of sensitive birds, so it's there for their use. I also see the irony of their basement coop being larger than their actual coop. It's a mess, I know.
-Potential Changes-
We might be able to build something for them before winter. I can't make any promises, but it would be a walk-in 5x6 that would allow for a sweeter heater above the roost bar.
Thoughts? I'm worried there's not enough bodies to keep warm. I also have zero experience overwintering bantams, so maybe they'll be fine. Let me know. And is there a minimum number of birds you would not go below?
Thanks for your help.
