Hardy Birds!

[dentech]

Winter finally arrived here in central New York. With a bang. The same storm system that worked it's across the midwest, arrived here yesterday morning changing things, very quickly, from spring like to the frozen tundra with temps in the teens. My small Midget White flock has access to a coop for roosting and protection from the weather. They also have an outdoor roosting spot. Through this so far mild winter most of them have chosen to spend night in the outdoor spot, with only a few roosting in the coop. Last night with temps in the teens and winds gusting to 30 mph, three of my hens still chose to use the outdoor roost. I tried early in the evening to shoo them in but, they kept returning to the outdoor roost. I checked on them several times overnight and they did fine. This morning at 4am they were just as happy and alert as every other day. I'm new to turkeys and I'm finding them to be pretty hardy.

 

[Frosty]

They really are... One year it was 90 F on Oct 1st, and on the 5th we had a blizzard that dumped 16" of heavy wet snow. I had a hen loose with her 2 1/2 month old poults and was just sick when I found her with one poult. Then one by one over the next few days, they rest showed up. I was amazed that the babies made it through even though they were obviously scattered.

 

[PatS]

Wow, Frosty, what breed? I know turkeys are fragile until they're a couple of months old, but didn't realize they could stand that kind of weather (without mom to keep them warm) that young.

 

[Frosty]

Mom looked like a Red Palm, possibly a Bourbon Red x Royal Palm? But the poults were raised by their mother, I think they mature faster that way. They are out in the weather while foraging and mostly only under the mom at night after they are feathered out.