Free Range Silver Seabrights Sleep in tree... WINTER???

[gritsar]

Quote:
I do know what the weather in Tennessee is like, having lived there and in the mountains of NC. That's why I suggested that a heat lamp may be necessary. Not much snow, but nasty wind, damp and ice.

And that's from someone who doesn't believe in using a heat lamp, but those birds are so tiny.

 

[lilmouthy]

I really wouldn't worry about them freezing as much as I would something getting them. Your winters are about the same as ours. In our last house that we lived in,when we moved in there were little Banty chickens everywhere. They didn't have a coop or anything. They all roosted in the trees. Even through ice storms,they stayed in the trees. Of course,during the winter time,every couple days,a few more would come up missing. By the time we moved from there,almost all of them were gone. So,yes they can survive the cold,rain,wind in the trees,but it's hard from them to survive other animals eating them.

 

[lilcrow]

The thing I hung up on was the chicken wire floor. Did I understand you to say that there is a section that has chicken wire for the floor? If you do, that is one of the first things I would address. I would either put hardware cloth (not my first choice) or finish it off with wood (my first choice). Chicken wire is cold AND not safe. Any predator can get through it. I'm in complete agreement with everyone about reprogramming your gorgeous babies. In no time you'll have them believing that the coop is just the place to be, and they'll love it just as much as being in the trees. It's all a matter of habit with chickens. They certainly are beautiful!

 

[Akane]

Wire pens invite predators. You really have to make sure you are using good wire fastened well or you may as well hand the predators their dinner. Alot of wire (like chicken wire) is designed to keep small animals and things like chicken in not predators out. That's another reason a solid coop is a good idea. It takes much more effort to get through wood than wire and you can lock the chickens in it every night.

Just because some bantams survive the cold doesn't mean all will. OEGB for example are darn hardy and will survive probably even our -20F winters without much shelter. My japanese bantams start to have trouble at 0F with shelter and probably wouldn't do well below freezing without shelter. The feather legged or extra fluffy breeds will also do well in cold. I'm not sure about the sebrights yet. For now mine are with my seramas which stay on a heated porch because I lost 2 when I put them outside in our 30-40F nights but mine are still young. When they finish growing I don't know if they'll handle really cold weather or not. We'll find out.

 

[cricketsbaby]

If anyone can help me . I would be very appreciative. I had 2 Bantam Siebrights a roo and a hen. A coon got my boy and now I have 1 itty bitty girl. She hangs with the plymouth barred rock rooster and hens I got in April. I am worried about winter in Michigan. I know we just had a mild winter but... Probably not going to happen again soon. We get zero degrees in jan and Feb. I have a coop.She is learning with the 4 other newbies to go to the coop at dusk but still has to be carried at night. I have 36 hens already , (before my newbies from April 2012). They all old and new get along well in the coop, but all the big girls free range all year even with snow (I have my son snow plow the grass around the nearby yard and coop for the girls to peck). If I could get some suggestions about how to assure her well being for cold days that would b a big help. My older girls hated being locked up in the coop during the day so they go out everyday in winter they go in the garage and sit in the sunshine out of the snow but itty bitty is soo dainty and sweet ( she purrrs and nuzzles when I pick her up she likes it under my chin so thats where she rides when I carry her . I was wondering if I was going to have to keep her in the sunporch all winter. She would be alone thats not good.I appreciate all your suggestions. Thanks, Cricket