- Sep 11, 2014
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Well we bought Cochins because they are so winter hardy with the larger body size and feathering all over their legs etc. I am thinking with 10 hens and one rooster, they will huddle in to a ball when it gets cold. I plan to provide very thick hay as bedding (cleaned out every other day as I do now) so they can dig down in it.. and I may even take some bales and just put them in front of their windows to keep the cold out a bit. They have a full vent around the eave and two vents at either end on top and then 2 windows on the south end and one big window on the north. Windows will probably be kept closed during the winter to keep drafts out but the vents will provide more than enough ventilation so moisture wont be a problem. We did not insulate at all. We willl see how the heat is next summer and make a decision on insulation then. They have plenty of shade and will only get the morning sun, so should be ok. I guess we'll have the heat lamp handy and if they need it periodically, we'll have it....but no plans in advance to use it.