My girls are cold: am i being too soft.

[dig deep]

Hello, i have three girls since April and i love them dearly. I am from the city and have them just for their eggs and as pets. The weather here has taken a turn for the worse and will be -14c tonight and i was worried that they might freeze in their egloo so i have made them a temporary house to sleep in in my downstairs loo (bathroom?).
Have i done the right thing or would they have been ok in their little house outside?

 

[rosaline]

You have done the right thing if it stops you worrying. I would do the same. Next year when it is cold they will probably be ok. But they are still only young right now.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Oh, go ahead am make them comfy. It is not like you are putting 50 chickens in your basement. This cold snap the nation is experiencing is making every one think twice about their pets and your chickens ARE your pets.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I have 2 serama on my glass enclosed front porch with a box heater running. DH grumbles, but they're young and haven't been outside in a harsh winter yet.
My LF flock are outside in a split coop. I give each pen a pie pan of warm oatmeal, and give them warm water before bed. Also, they have a heat light.
I think if you're not comfortable with them outside, you won't sleep well yourself, so bring them in!

 

[Phyll'sFarmFamily]

I would not hesitate to bring mine inside and my coop is heated.

 

[deerman]

-14 they could loose toes, or get frostbit combs. so yes you did good......

 

[berkeleysprings]

my sister is keeping silkies (2 ) in my bedroom ... the silkie insists on hatching chicks in the dead of winter so we let her hatch one again and my sister is worried about the chick in the cold weather .... its 0 at night and 20 days time temp and they seem to be doing fine .. its ok if sis wants to put them in my bedroom this weekend for a few weeks , i think u will find chickens can tolerate the cold better then the heat of summer ,, once again people sorry
me carpenter,,,, me no spell goood

 

[dig deep]

Thanks for your replies. I'm from the UK and at the mo we have about 4" of snow (extreme for us) and i'm sure their little toes would get froze off. I feel happier now that you have given me a vote of confidence. I love my girls (Sage, Chilli and Pepper) and would hate for anything happen to them through neglect. I must post some pictures of them.

 

[dig deep]

Sorry.... i did forget to add.
The main cause for my concern was that when i went to let them out of their house this morning, when it was -7c, they did not greet me in their usual way. Normally, when they hear me approaching i can hear a sort of gental " boooooooork boooooork" and this morning i could not hear a thing, i was sure something was wrong. When i opened the door they just ambled out without their usual energy and i must admit it did concern me.

 

[rosaline]

I know what you mean, the snow is bad at the moment. Looks like it is set in for a couple of weeks. I would be worried about my hens too. I am on day 21 of incubation and I am waiting for them to hatch.

please hurry up chickies.