No neurotic chickens or critters at Jim's, all are healthy as can be all loose together, Wish I could do the same with mine, but my poor girls are still afraid to come out of the coop into the run, a few have ventured out and my little Ashley the Del pullet I got from Jim won't go back in at night, over zealous hens and little EE roo.....scare her so each night I have to go get her and put her on the roost..
I'm hoping they get the hang of it soon I want to let them out to clean up the garden, and if they are afraid of the run what are they gonna do with the entire yard and garden.......... silly pullets, my hens tell me everyday LET ME OUT !!!!!!!!!!!!` BOC BOCKING AT ME soon as I get to the gate.........
Jim is exactly right about the heat, mine have no heat at all no light even, they roost at dusk and get up with the sun just fine, and half my girls were bald half the winter thanks to my feather picker. no frosty combs on my boys either. Most important is the humidity, if the air is dry and cold they can handle below zero weather, 1 gal on here has chickens in Alaska no heat.......... just the water tank is heated. Let them get the winter fluff, then if ya absolutely have to give them heat make it on a thermostat so it only comes on at 35............ My neighbor has had her chickens and birds over 20 years they don't even get heated water, just the pole shed, and out here when there's a wind chill its 25 to 50 below, or more, the wind is always crazy out here.......... she does have 1 rooster that got locked out 1 night a few years back lost half his comb, but seems none the worse for wear........her turkey ducks are in outside pens, that I have shoveled them outa the snow already, and they seem fine..... all but 1 that lost a toe to frost bite... as long as they have some sort of house /cover.. out of the direct wind.... and more than 1 animal to produce some body heat......... good to go..... Theres a thread here do a search on the cold and chickens, they can handle more than most people think, though silkies need heat there fluff is not insulating, so I would think those with frizzles, and such that might also apply......... if I see my chickens shivering I'll turn the heat lamps on............ but so far haven't needed them, I felt bad for them last winter had a spell 25 below I turned em on and all I did was waste energy, none of them even went near those lamps so 2/ 100 watts bulbs burning for nothing.........save yourselves the money it ain't cheap running them lamps .......every spring just the baby lamps run my bill up 25 bucks a montgh and the waters add extra already....... especially the horses water tank........ about 50 bucks a month........... so just saying do what ya need too but don't go crazy..... worrying about them freezing...........Kim.
