How cold is too cold?

[wbruder17]

I have 2 male red golden pheasants. I live in NW Oregon, where it really doesn't get that cold. Mid 20s at its very coldest and not for extended periods of time. I put my chickens in at night but leave the pheasants out in the run. There are plenty of sheltered roosting areas, some more sheltered than others. They always sleep in the same corner that has cover and a fence on one side. How cold is too cold to leave them out? Because I CAN catch them if I need to and make them stay in the coop. It is big enough, with lots of open perch places and they like to go in there sometimes during the day, but not at night.

 

[J3172]

My ruffed pheasants are out in the negatives and do fine!

 

[chseeads]

If that's all the colder it gets there, then you should be A-okay just letting them roost where ever they prefer.

I have silver pheasants and melanistic ringnecks and they all prefer to roost outside even though they have access to a little building they can go into.... They have areas in the pen they can sit or roost that has a canopy overhead if they want that can keep rain/snow directly off them, but they will stay out in the pen regardless of temp or precipitation. It gets sub-zero here occasionally.

 

[wbruder17]

I figured they are wild birds and should be fine. Especially as ringnecks survive in PA where im from and it gets ways colder there, and they have plenty of cover and protection if they want it. Thanks.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Mine did fine to -45*F with fresh food/water all winter and no heat.

 

[wbruder17]

Excellent. I will not worry about them anymore.

 

[Humhill]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Mine did fine to -45*F with fresh food/water all winter and no heat.

-45*F ??? OMG, that's cold...
We're in NC. We may get a "nice" snow a couple times in the winter (ie. 2 inches), we'll have a couple spells of temps in the teens, and we have been below 0 before, but doesn't happen often.

I guess I won't be worrying about mine either!! Is there anything I should do to help them out over the winter?​

 

[JJMR794]

ALL I CAN SAY IS ONCE IT GETS DOWN TO 40 I MAKE THEM TAKE OFF THEIR BATHING SUITS AND WEAR SHORTS, T SHIRTS (NO TANK TOPS) AND FLIP FLOPS AT LEAST...

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:

-45*F ??? OMG, that's cold...
We're in NC. We may get a "nice" snow a couple times in the winter (ie. 2 inches), we'll have a couple spells of temps in the teens, and we have been below 0 before, but doesn't happen often.

I guess I won't be worrying about mine either!! Is there anything I should do to help them out over the winter?

Giggle! They really are resilient birds.

I love them. Best thing I did was give them a big box enclosure full of fresh dry hay. They would hunker down into it in the really cold weather and would do just fine. I'm always amazed at how much heat they put off. Like the chickens, a handful of scratch or BOSS in the evening helps, too.