roosting in the cold

[cw]

in our old tobacco barn coop there is plenty of places to roost but the guineas and chickens insist on roosting where they would be in the only draft in the barn,
i was hoping they would be smart enough to get out of it i guess i was wrong anyone else having this problem?

 

[cackler]

Yes - my 5-month old guineas decided that two days ago - when it was 4 below at night - would be the time they didn't come into the coop at night. SMART! We figured that they'd be history in the morning - but to our surprise they were still sitting in the trees and without any apparent problems!

All but 1 stayed out yet again last night and they were all okay again this afternoon.

But, this evening they decided to ALL come in to the coop with the chickens. Who knows. But I'm so glad they're all okay after that. No obvious problems really except for one that seems to be a bit lethargic. She'll bear some watching I guess.

 

[cw]

wow that makes me feel better, as i grew up in douglas co, ks and what we call a tornado here in ky , yall call a slight breeze, as it seemed growin up the wind never quit blowing, especially in the winter, and your alls winters are so much more rough the ares

 

[cackler]

It's 23 degrees now and I don't think there's much wind. I don't think there was a lot of wind either when they decided to stay out. I've read that with guineas you're lucky if they survive their silliness - so I was really trying to prepare myself for the worst. But - they managed to do it. I figured we'd have at least 1 or 2 that were gone or dead. Not fun. We've had a really, really cold winter so far. And snowy. My husband thinks they were a bit freaked out by the snow and that's what made them roost in the trees. I'm SO glad they decided to come in tonight.

 

[cw]

yea ive seen the weather for you all on the weather channel, as my father still lives close to kansas city, its 30 here, but the guineas have chicken followers that will roost up there with them i imagine there all harder then i would like to believe

 

[cw]

we put a heat lamp out there for them but they wont get under it silly birds

 

[cackler]

Out of the 20 chickens we have, 1 actually decided to venture into the snow this afternoon. It was funny as she would take a step - sink into the snow - take a step - sink into the snow. She decided it wasn't too bad. Cracked me up. Everybody else stayed on the 'path' that was shoveled from the coop to the driveway. Once the 6 guineas saw that all was okay there - they came down.

 

[cw]

have you ever eaten 1 of your guineas? we had 6 but are down to the only 2 hens we got

 

[cackler]

Not yet. We had a broody chicken in June that we stuck guineas eggs under and she hatched them in July. We haven't YET. HOWEVER, I'm sure it's crossed my husband's mind! The surrogate chicken mama was killed by something in August. The 6 keets she reaised an weened are what's left.

 

[cw]

we eat are guinea cocks s they were hell on our roos, and talk about good eaten, now we wish we wouldve kept one for breedin i think the wife is gettin some more this spring