Ohio winter!

[FarmerChickieMammy]

So I'm down to two little banty's.
Theyre out in the coop. Which I have insulated with plastic and cardboard.
In ohio today it's going to be -3° tonight but the real feel is about -15°

My question being, are my two tiny girls okay to be outside or should I move them into the garage?

I had to force them to actually go up inside the coop, they normally sleep on a support bar for the roof of the run that they seem to like to use as a roost.

I put them in the coop with extra bedding and a towel to help insulate.

Will that be enough to keep them warm? Will they keep each other warm enough? This is my first winter with chickens. Any tips or advice is appreciated.

 

[WoDia]

Since you have just 2, you could move them to your garage during the deep freeze. I’m in NE Ohio, so I already moved my 2 older standard-size hens to winter in the outer room of my quail building. I also raise Seramas (and other bantam breeds), and they’re not cold-hardy. I did extra winter preparation for them. I have a fully-wired, insulated building that’s kept above 40 degrees for them. I also have 5 Serama chicks (hatched last month). They’re spending the freeze in a large cardboard box in the utility room of my house, along with air purifier going 24/7. Do what you feel is best for them. There’s just 2, so they’d be easy to move. Good wishes for your bantams.

 

[WoDia]

One more thing I’d like to add… if you decide to bring them into a warmer space, make sure to acclimate them back to the cold before you put them back. If your garage isn’t too much warmer (just enough to keep them fairly comfortable), then it’ll be easier for them healthwise when you put them back outside.

 

[FarmerChickieMammy]

My garage is not heated. So I'd say it's barely warmer than outside but possibly more tolerable than the real feel of -15 that it's supposed to be tonight.

I am acquiring more banty's this coming spring that are hens. I had some roo's but we are not allowed to have them in the city. So I am down to just their two sweet babies.

 

[FarmerChickieMammy]

My gut was telling me to bring them in.

So they are now set up in the garage for overnight.

 

[WoDia]

My gut was telling me to bring them in.

So they are now set up in the garage for overnight.

I always go with my gut too. Please give updates, so we know how their doing. By the way… beautiful Mille Fleur d’Uccles.

 

[aart]

but possibly more tolerable than the real feel of -15 that it's supposed to be tonight.

"Real Feel' has to do with wind chill hitting your skin.

 

[FarmerChickieMammy]

I always go with my gut too. Please give updates, so we know how their doing. By the way… beautiful Mille Fleur d’Uccles.

Thank you! They are sweet girls!
I had done some reading about cold stress and what to look for.

I had also moved them into the coop and they went right back to trying to roost in the run and I am scared their feet will get frost bite. So they are inside the garage now. The garage is only slightly warmer but I think it should be enough to stop frostbite.

 

[FarmerChickieMammy]

"Real Feel' has to do with wind chill hitting your skin.

I was curious if they would be able to "feel" that or not. being that they have all the feathers but they're tiny feet is what I was concerned about for frostbite.

 

[tripletfeb]

My garage is not heated. So I'd say it's barely warmer than outside but possibly more tolerable than the real feel of -15 that it's supposed to be tonight.

I am acquiring more banty's this coming spring that are hens. I had some roo's but we are not allowed to have them in the city. So I am down to just their two sweet babies.

"Real Feel' has to do with wind chill hitting your skin.

Was going to post this exact thing