Chicken bald back

[SarahGlymond]

Hi guys I have bought an extreme jacket ( I know very pricey it was a moment of weakness I think) ready for my two girlies when the weather turned nasty but what consists as extreme weather ... When do I put it on ?????? and for how long just at night or all the time ???

 

also it covers the ventilation holes will my girlies me ok don't want them getting sick due to lasck of fresh air??

 

Omlet don't say what extreme is ???

[gavclojak]

I was going to get one for the cube, but I think you will find the consensus on here is they are not really needed, especially given the price tag and dare I say it a tad gimmicky.,

One omleteer redsunset is in the Scottish Islands and I know it gets pretty chilly up there and if I am right her girls nest outside sometimes, although she has lovely cosy homes for them, and the odd wheelie bin:)

I

[Patricia W]

Extreme weather in my book is when it is -10 or 12 for several days and/or it snows heavily. I wouldn't leave it on for long because you can create conditions when bugs proliferate if there isn't enough ventilation. Or leave the door open.

 

I found this out the hard way, when Phillip the cockerel got a chest infection when I wrapped them up too warmly!

[paulad]

Sorry no idea, my chucks r just gonna have to put up with their feathers and snuggling up together

 

Sure someone will know though xx

[libby22]

Hi. I bought the jacket as I only have two girls in a cube so they throw themselves into the nest box and sit on top of one another when it gets cold!

 

I put the jacket on once it goes down to freezing and just unzip the back slightly so that there is a run through from the gap at the sides of the pen to the vents at the front. They were fine with it last winter and it really made a difference when trying to open the door in freezing weather or heavy snow as the jacket covers the handle and nothing freezes over.

 

I notice that once the jacket goes on, they go back onto the roosting bars, but they won't sit on the side that is unzipped so they can feel something!

 

I didn't have any bug problems last year so hopefully the same this year. Hope that helps.

[SarahGlymond]

Thanls Libby I only have two chooks in a cube and that is why I bought it as I thought it would generate some heat as there is only two of them.

It may come in handy if the weather is meant to be as bad as they are prediciting up north we can get a lot of snow and being near the penines it can really come down!!!!

 

Ill definalty keep one sided un zipped for the ventilation !!

[libby22]

I was worried about the ventilation, but if you notice the zip at the back going around in a curve - you can choose to unzip whichever size about 8 inches or so, but it still protects the coop.

 

If I had a lot of them all nestled in together, I probably wouldn't worry so much as they would have a lot more body heat, but as you say, with just two, not quite the same

[gavclojak]

If you only have two girls in a cube have you thought of getting a heat pad, you heat them in the microwave and put them under the roosting bars and they warm the house up for up to eight hours. I think they only take the chill off but that may help too.

[Chickabee]

I was surprised when I picked my ex bats up to put them to bed, at just how hot they were. It was a cool day, and they haven't got the best feathering yet. I've never used anything over the Eglus and for the past 3 years we have had quite a lot of snow. The only concern I would have is my little ones. 2 silkies and a pekin frizzle. 2 of them are pol but quite small. They do all cuddle. What do you think ?

[Patricia W]

For several years, I had 3 small bantams in a cube. They insisted on sleeping in the doorway even when it was minus 12 so I think your's will be fine.

[SarahGlymond]

Thanks Guys like said earlier I have already bought the jacket so ill probably use it. It gets good reviews on the shop. Gavclojak thanks for the suggestion of the heat pad but wiil a heat pad get very pooey as under the roosting bars is where the droppings tray is in the cube ??? are they washable ??

[gavclojak]

They are rubber with a solid filling that heats up, they are really good for putting under the water containers to stop them freezing. I would put it under an area where they tend not to sleep so you can minimise the mess. Mine never sleep on the back left hand side on the cube for some reason

 

They are called snuggle safe,

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SnuggleSafe-Microwave-Wireless-Heatpad-Fleece/dp/B0014LJKUA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384238636&sr=8-1&keywords=animal+heat+pad