About 6 weeks ago a neighbor's dog got into our back yard and attacked our free ranging chickens. One chicken was killed. Another one, a Buff Orpington was injured. She lost a 2-3 inch strip of feathers from her head all the way to her tail. She looked horrible, a completely bare neck. She took up residence in one of the nesting boxes only coming out each day for food and water. I am happy to say that over time almost all of her feathers have grown back, with the exception of the feathers around her neck. The skin there seems to have all scabbed over.
My concern is whether she will freeze to death without the feathers keeping her neck warm. There is no heat in the coop and winters can get down to zero degrees from time to time. The chickens have always fared well due to their fall molting and warm feathers. Will she be able to make it with a bare neck?
My concern is whether she will freeze to death without the feathers keeping her neck warm. There is no heat in the coop and winters can get down to zero degrees from time to time. The chickens have always fared well due to their fall molting and warm feathers. Will she be able to make it with a bare neck?
