Japanese Bantams and winter

[columbiacritter]

I'd like to hear from some folks who've kept this breed on how they winter them over. All the books say they aren't cold hardy, but not how much heat they need.

We were planning on shifting ours to a greenhouse for the winter months, but we've had heaters fail in there before and the temps have dropped to near freezing for a few hours.

Anyone offer some advice and how they keep their JB's healthy and happy?

 

[mamaKate]

I don't know how the winters are where you are, but I kept Japanese Bantams in Southeast MO in an outdoor coop for several years with no problems.The coop was small enough to conserve their body heat and I always gave it a good winterizing in the fall.

 

[mamaKate]

I don't know how the winters are where you are, but I kept Japanese Bantams in Southeast MO in an outdoor coop for several years with no problems.The coop was small enough to conserve their body heat and I always gave it a good winterizing in the fall.

 

[columbiacritter]

We are in the Pacific NW fairly near the coast so low 20's is rare, teens every 5 yrs. We've already had one morning with a skim of ice on the ducks pool and the dutch banties didn't seem bothered at all.

My, not so nice to his animals neighbor, has kept layers with just a roofed run, no way to get inside and warm for 6 yrs without any winter losses. My girls have a super insulated, draft free, deep straw, very nice coop to get out of the weather. They also have a temporary canopy over part of their run to give them a dry outside area.

The jb's will have a warm dry coop for good weather and a run that can be covered to keep the outside area dry.

I figure if they forecast anything below 30 I won't risk the greenhouse heater failing and all the banties will move into the jumbo dog carriers in the basement until the weather improves.

 

[Akane]

I'm in Iowa with temps down to -20F in the winter and a not insulated unheated coop. We'll see how my japs fair. The only thing I've heard is they won't lay and the roosters are at risk of frostbite. 30s is nothing. I would think all chicken breeds would handle that just fine. It's the 0 and below I'm worried about.

 

[columbiacritter]

How are everyones JB's doing so far this winter?