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?).
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?).
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