Gee, I thought it was the carbohydrates in the corn that would help them stay warm. Well, since the corn was freely gleaned from surrounding fields, that's still what they are going to get.
The roost hut is a hoop house (6' tall, 6' long, 6' wide). It is enclosed on all but one side, but that open side started wide open for ventilation. The hut is inside a large fully enclosed but uninsulated pole shed. They have great protection from the wind and no drafts if they are in the hut. A larger portion of the pole shed is fenced off and the birds freely roam enough space. They can choose to be in the hut or out. They currently cannot go outside the shed, as there are several feet of snow anyway.
We have been progressively throwing layers of (very) old quilts and blankets over the hut and fastening used feed sacks over the top of that. The feed sacks allow me to scrape poop, as the birds do like to go up there. We are also progressively reducing the amount of open space on the unenclosed endof the hut, trying to keep the heat in but still allow enough ventilation.
The heat lamps and nest boxes are inside the roost hut. The nest boxes have pet bed warmers.
Essentially we started too late adding insulation and closing the front of the hut. We simply have too large a space inside the shed for the number of birds we have to keep it warm unless they are staying in the hut.
When creating these winter quarters, we thought the birds would be in the hut more often when the weather was cold. They do not do this. They run around all over their allotted space. This disperses their body heat to a much larger area that is uninsulated. When they notice they are cold, they hudle in coldest corners of their allotted space, most do not seem to think to go back in the hut to warm up (some do, most don't). If they would all go back in the hut, they could be warmer together. Some refuse to roost in the hut at night, perfering the top of the hut.
They do not seem to mind that the roosters are frost bit, but I do. Some of the larger combed hens will also lose a point or two.
I do not remember having this much trouble as a young person, and they set up was not significantly different.
So yes, I agree with the general consensus, I should not get anymore large combed birds until we figure out different winter quarters. Too bad for me.
I love that look.
I guess that still leaves me many wonderful breeds. Just no Delawares. At least I know while I only have 2.
