Too cold for bantams?

[anjbagley]

Hey, I need help. Can bantams handle the cold like bigger chickens? My coop is insulated very well. I have a regular light on 14 hours a day for light and a heat lamp on 24hours a day right over my bantams perch for added warmth since they are so much smaller. They just seem cold. They stay perched under the light all the time and I have had 4 get sick-eye infections. Do they need to be indoors for the winter or are they going to be okay? It has been -20 at the coldest parts of the night and up to about 15 during the day. I don't know the temp inside the coop but I would guess it gets into the single digets. Thanks for any ideas.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Hey over there, hellooo!

I am asking the same question on another post. I am guilty of giving in to fear like my husband did last December; I took our tiny chickens in tonite, they have a little hotel set up in our basement.

But I DO recommend putting a basic garden thermometer in the coop where you can see it. Ours read 30F, and their water was frozen. So tomorrow we have a 2 hour job to insulate their coop better and we just saw an answer on our post that there's a thermocube thingie that can turn the heat lamp on at 20F and off at 45F. I think that made my husband excited. You know guys and their technology...

Good luck! I hope we find advice fast! We are -12F tonite in Chicago.......

 

[briteday]

We have two silkies in an A-frame coop with no insulation and no heat source. The last 3 nights have been -6 to -10. I did put an RIR hen in with them for a little extra warmth last night since the daytime highs have stayed below freezing for the last few days as well. The birds are all doing fine, laying an egg daily. They're not happy, but they're doing fine.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I have nothing but bantams in MN here. I paniced and brought in the seramas when I noticed they were all poofed out and lethargic. The cochins, ee's, brahmas, wyandottes, leghorns, and a few mixed breeds are doing ok in their garage coop with a heater, and 3 heat lamps. I feel it's not enough especially despite my efforts to heat them are out the window ehrn the waterers are frozen. My garage is only partially insulated, the roof isn't which is where all the heat is going. It is -20 here this morning with the windchills. Last winter they managed to stay outside until the temps were consistantly -40 with the windchills and combs began to get frostbitten. I know they are hardier then we would like to believe but I still panic every winter!

 

[Cindy in PA]

I have silver pencilled rock bantams & one sebright. Temps have been down to 25 in the coop and so far no ill effects. I do wish they would roost on the roosts under the short roof instead of huddling by the door where the roof is the highest.

 

[The Chicken People]

My bantam is doing fine she went broody two days ago and sits in the warm nest I kick her off and take her eggs away a few times a day to make her eat and drink...so far no more frozen eggs! Water was freezing so we hooked up the electric dog waterer and hopefully they will all start using it soon...I kept the other waterer in place as I cant be sure they are all using the new one yet! We got to like 4 last night and may get to 20 today!

 

[Akane]

Some bantams are fine. Really fluffy or larger bantams tend to do better. Really small bantams like japanese and seramas tend not to do as well at below 0.

 

[Attack Chicken]

My bantam wyandottes,leghorn pullet, and showgirl roo are at home in the cold so far. They don't even seem to care about it.

 

[anjbagley]

Thanks for everyones input. It was -27 this morning! I checked on the banties and they were all still up and moving. I keep their water on a heater all the time so I don't have to worry about it freezing but it is cold in the coop!! Now I am wondering if I rescue them and take them inside where it is warm am I doing them more harm in that when they go back outside they won't be used to cold temps? If they come in does it have to be for the rest of the winter? Thats a long time around here!

 

[pedrosk]

There wasn't a reply to this in ages.

It was a sunny day way over freezing and our little one died outside in the run. It was all ok earlier and I wonder if the cold got it.

My other question that was going through my head was if we take them inside to the unheated mudroom temp (15C ) and coldest we ever seen there was (12C).

Would they ever go outside till spring,?
What's the danger?