[Mega]

 
We finally got our 4 bantams 2 buff orpys & 2 gold laced on 10th Nov,
 settled in well all happy eating, drinking, foraging around their run no concerns to be had.
This morning the smallest gold laced was dead on the floor of the coop 
Have spoken to the lady who we purchased them from & she talked me through various things that it coild have been but no conclusion made.
Can a small chicken die from being too cold if it wasn't huddled with the others ?
It was very windy & colder than it has been last night here.

So sad she never even got to lay an egg 

I also need to ask what is the best kind of detergent to use for the coop   as need to give it a deeper clean really now that happened.

The other 3 are fine 

[grinling]

Sorry to hear the news. It could have been shock of moving. I presume it's eyes were fine and no sneezing and coughing.
I would use Jeyes fluid watered down and allow to dry completely.
Keep an eye on the others.
Make sure all are allowed to eat and no pecking going on.
My sussex and Bluebelle prefer to sleep on top of the house, housing area is enclosed though.

[Mega]

Thanks    I have used a very diluted jeyes fluid to wash coop out & did allow to dry 
I have not noticed a 'pecking order' so to speak yet & they did come from a run of about 25 in so not as warm with just 4 :-(
Our coop in a secure run but thought leaving door open would make it colder ? They seem no to want to get on the perch in the coop instead prefer to huddle on floor in one corner 
Would replacing her be an issue ? They have only been here for 2 weeks and are young birds at 5 months. 

[grinling]

Problem with adding another is that you should quarrantine any new ones for a few weeks. If that isn't a problem then I would leave it for a few weeks just in case there is an illness.
When holding them do they feel a good weight or very light?
Apart from the 2 which keep perching on the roof, I also have a speckledy hen who is moulting, and 3 bantams. They all sleep in the nest box (chicks know no better but 2 of them used to perch). I have closed 1 vent, but leave the pop hole open.
In winter I also remove the water feeder and replace with an open container(Tool container) as the feeder can crack.

[Mega]

Well when I can catch them  (to which there is obviously an art that I have not mastered yet  ) they are not heavy but then as they are only bantams I didn't expect then to be 
Oh ok I was worried about that - not got room to quarantine or keep seperate at all really as in our urban back garden & I am quite worried in case it doesn't go well. One of the reasons for replacing is it was my 3 year olds hen 
Ahh sounds like you have a lovely brood   

[splash101]

I wonder with it being the smallest one whether it got trampled.

I got some new hens a week before you and they have settled in well but i have noticed that when i lock up at night and check them, they have sometimes all piled into one area and the one at the bottom of the pile looks a bit wedged in. (even though they are in a huge coop and there's only 4 of them)
Mine are all big girls of the same size and she manages to get out ok.

I've had the ocassional chick die because they've all squashed together and it has suffocated.

might not have been but just a thought.

[Sassy]

Well when I can catch them  (to which there is obviously an art that I have not mastered yet  ) they are not heavy but then as they are only bantams I didn't expect then to be 
Oh ok I was worried about that - not got room to quarantine or keep seperate at all really as in our urban back garden & I am quite worried in case it doesn't go well. One of the reasons for replacing is it was my 3 year olds hen 
Ahh sounds like you have a lovely brood   

They should be easy to catch and handle after they have been roosting for a while at night. They go very dopey. If you ever to think about replacing the one that died (very sorry) you will need 2 - it is too traumatic to expect one hen to cope with the settling down period on her own.

[Mega]

Thank you for all you comments - have been away due to a computer virus 

We took the plunge and replaced our lost hen with another from the same breeder probably one of its sisters. Put her in coop whilst other 3 were busy with some cake & apart from quick chase from one of the others that afternoon, they all went to bed happy hens together that night 

2 now snuggle together in one of the nest boxes whilst the other 2 snuggle on the perch - so all happy again

Thank you for your advice, may be afyer a few 'treat' tops - heard someone say porridge ?? 

[ANHBUC]

You can use cheap digital kitchen scales to keep an eye on the weights your bantams.   :blink:

[grinling]

Mix porridge oats with cooled boiled water in a bowl, I use a dog bowl.

[Mega]

Thanks for tip on porridge - I was wondering how they would 'take it' 

[symonep]

You can also mix their layers pellets with boiling water and allow to cool, make layers porridge and they love it.

[Mega]

Thanks     symonep   this is what my girls will have in the morning when I do their weekly clean out whilst getting told off !!