What should I do about Jethro (a silkie)?

[gritsar]

I have two silkies in my second coop, along with 11 other layers and 8 meaties. The coop is insulated, as well as draft-proof. Our lows this winter will get down into the teens, occasionally lower.

There is a roost in the coop specifically for the two silkies, but I've rarely seen them use it. Jethro would roost with the layers if I put him up on their roost, but I'm afraid he/she will get knocked off or fall off and hurt himself. It's about 4 ft. off the ground.

At first, I didn't worry about Jethro, because he was roosting on top of a nestbox with my other silkie Ellie Mae and I figured they were keeping each other warm enough. However now Ellie Mae has started roosting on the silkie roost with my two speckled sussex; leaving Jethro all alone on top of the nestbox, in a corner. Tonight I noticed that Ellie had tucked herself in under the wing of one of the SS.

Should I move Jethro after dark to sleep on the roost with Ellie and the SS, move him to the layers roost and hope he doesn't fall, move him after dark to the floor with the meaties, or leave him be?

I'm pretty attached to the little booger and I don't want anything happening to him (or her?).

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Move Jethro to the bill-e-ards room or the cement pond.

Seriously, I would put him with the others, right next to Ellie Mae. They will keep each other warm. Maybe he'll get the hang of roosting there. He should get the hang of it pretty fast, after all, he did gradgiate from Oxford with a 6th grade edgiecation.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:

Jethro seems fine this morning, even ticked that one of the pullets is standing on top of his nestbox. I'm still concerned about him though. It's only going to get colder from here on out. Guess I'll put him on the roost tonight and hope he stays.

 

[sourland]

Leave him alone. With all of that fluff he'll be fine. If he gets cold, he'll follow his girl friend to the roost. Right now he's fine where he is.

 

[ranchhand]

I know where he can get an Eeyore coat.........

ETA, I think I may have just won the "Most Useless Post of the Year" award. NOT my usual MO!

 

[jerseygirl1]

What's an Eeyore coat?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Oh you!

Actually this morning I wore an old coat Keith dragged out of a closet to tend the chickens. This coat is big even on Keith! Do I need to tell you what I looked like wearing that coat over my eeyore PJs??? (Couldn't really see the PJs, since the coat comes to my shins.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Don't mind Ranchy. She's just being her usual silly self.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Don't mind Ranchy. She's just being her usual silly self.

Pot...............................

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Don't mind Ranchy. She's just being her usual silly self.

Pot...............................