[stickywicket]

I have just been reading the winter tips sticky. Very helpful.

I'm now wondering if my hen house is too big for my 3 bantams and they'll get cold :shock: .

 I did have 4 bantams but had one put down this week :cry:

I have the grosvenor junior. It's internal measurements are 32"x37" and 52" high.

I give them corn every afternoon now that it's so cold and I've made sure there are no drafts in the house. It's also in quite a sheltered position, surrounded on all sides by 6ft fencing and trees.

There is plenty of straw in the 2 nest boxes. Do chickens have the common sense to huddle in there if it gets really cold or am I expecting a bit much of them : :roll:  :roll:  

I have thought that if it does get really cold I'd put them in a pet carrier with some straw and stick them in the shed but just how cold would it need to be to justify this? I'm thinking minus 3 or lower?

[Vember]

Hi Stickywicket

Is this your coop??



If your giving corn and it's sheltered & no drafts I would say they'll be fine

Sarah

[richyrich7]

I have 4 hens in an 8x6 shed and they always seem fine

[Aunt Sally]

As long as they've got their feathery duvets they'll be fine  

[richyrich7]

As long as they've got their feathery duvets they'll be fine  

I noticed tonight the one that's moulting the worst is in the middle    

[karlooben]

I have 4 hens in an 8x6 shed and they always seem fine

   bet they love that do they have a corner each ,,, i will have 24 in my 8' 6 shed but theres going to be 3  of perches going al the way round about half way up the shed .

[stickywicket]

Thanks for that guys. I'll resist the temptation to get a couple more ladies  

[richyrich7]

I have 4 hens in an 8x6 shed and they always seem fine

   bet they love that do they have a corner each ,,, i will have 24 in my 8' 6 shed but theres going to be 3  of perches going al the way round about half way up the shed .

Nah they all squash up on their perch  

[karlooben]

ohhh bless ,  i have one that pushes the others of so she can get her favouite spot on the perch .

[richyrich7]

ohhh bless ,  i have one that pushes the others of so she can get her favouite spot on the perch .

There's much shoving and pushing every night as they all have their own spot, esp if they don't go up the ladder in the right order  :roll:

[karlooben]

i love watching them use thier ladders ,i so cant wait for the new house to be ready tomorrw    

[Hawkins]

mine fight over who gets the bit by the window.  

em

[karlooben]

em do u cover your widows , i was told to keep mine blacked out .i had one girl that died and i am wandering if she flew into the plastic of the window when it got light one morning ... there is 2 windows in my new shed and i dont know wether to cover them or not  :?:

[richyrich7]

I'd not black them out, they need the light for egg production, mine tap on the window or press the eye upto it to see who's coming up the path but I can't see them trying to fly through it  :shock:  You could always put chicken wire over the inside if your worried that may stop them a bit.

[karlooben]

they wil see me coming alright the windows face the main path i have to walk down .