Ok, I have some game birds that are fully feathered 6-8 mos old and that are in the habit of roosting in a small tree right next to the house. The temps are going into the low 30s tonight, with winds of 18mph. I can catch them and bring them in if need be. Since all my other chickens have been winter layers that go into coops at night, how low can temps go and these birds still be all right? They are semiwild, and mostly fend for themselves.
I had a roo and his girls (hatchery barred rock/ee/leghorn crosses) roost in a tree all last year, even through some pretty good windstorms and zero temps. They just hunkered down, fluffed up and held on!
Thanks Donrae, common sense tells me they should be fine, but...you know...they are still our 'babies'.
southwind, your not alone.. I have a few that are Tree Huggers.. and it drives me crazy I worry about them and the rain.. I let my roosters ( ok they are replaceable to me, except my blue giant roo < who stays in the coop with the girls) I try to convince all my girls to roost int he coop I did have one get taken by a big owl.. I have to get out there before they go to roost and give goodies and lock them up while their eating or they get up where I cant reach them... some times they can be too smart for their own good.. ahhhaa.. the wind and cold was so bad to day I locked them all up in the coop and hen yard.. I figure why worry... when its as easy as closing a door... the wind is still howling out.. been this way all day.. /// Good luck.. )O( Pink
I have outside roosts in my large pen along with two houses. One group of renegade chickens refuse to roost in either house and instead sleep on the outside roost. It's covered and pretty well protected from the elements. It does it cold. I've noticed more and more of my chickens are becoming renegades and sleeping outside. I figure they know what's best for them.
Thanks Pink. A neighbor gave us three hens, one hen had six babies, and they have been running around the yard, mostly taking care of themselves all year. I "try" not to feed them-ha!-cause they aren't giving me anything in return, but I have daydreams of turning them into coop layers.
I remember as a kid there were chickens that roosted in trees on the north side of Lake Texhoma- between Texas- Oklahoma, Red River border...... I am now in SE Colo, & I have peas that roost in trees at night & I worry terribly about them, chickens I wouldn't worry so much about..... We have had very cold temps, No Frostbite Yet 50 chickens in the coop, 6 peas roosting in trees out in da cold BTW, my bumper sticker on my 4x4 Toyota is "TREE HUGGER" Very familiar in Boulder, CO!!!!! Current Temp: 18° Current Time: 06:00 PM, 12-27-11
I posted today some pics of what a frostbite comb looks like. Our rooster was a tree dweller too. It was extremely windy and cold that night but he had been out in the extremely cold weather before and did fine. I think it mainly depends on the conditions with wind, wet and cold. I read that hens usually do better because they tuck their heads under and actually our hen was out in that weather too and did not get frostbite comb.
I raise and breed american game birds. They are NOT like barnyard chickens. Not at all. They are able to withstand alot more, and they are simply tough birds. If you look around a bit on how most game birds are housed, you'll notice that they get little to no protection from the wind and weather, but that is simply how they are housed, and unlike barnyard chickens would, game birds do absolutely fine, and live happy lives in that kind of housing. Your birds will be fine.
Thanks Ukiah, I have had NO previous experience with this type of bird. I feel better about it all now.
