Sudden Cold. How can I help my flock? One hen has a pale comb since the temp drop.

[ChickenTender1203]

The weather was pretty good, we had some rain for a few days, temperatures were around 70s and then it went straight to 40s-20s last week. Two hens have had a pale comb since then (I will add a picture of one of them). I'm guessing it is just from the cold. Another hen I noticed was breathing through her nose and it was audible today when I put them away. Another hen has a very bare back from the roosters so I'm looking into getting her a saddle. I have been giving them cracked corn and whole oats in the morning and evening. Closed up windows. I give them fresh water in the mornings and empty them at night to prevent freezing over. Any other ideas on how to help them stay warm and adjust? My naked neck likes to sleep in her own space so how can I make sure she stays warm? They are eating A LOT more food now so I'm trying to give them as much ck3n and oats as possible to give them that extra energy boost to produce heat and hopefully eat less, but I know too much isn't good. Any ideas on specific amounts to give them each day?
PHOTOS: BOTTOM: pale comb TOP: taken on October 29 before the cold hit.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's normal for combs to shrink down in colder weather to help protect it from frostbite. Combs are for two things. One is as a visual for a birds reproductive status, and the other is to help regular their body temperature.

Birds will often hunch up, and shiver when temperatures drop suddenly. I wouldn't worry as long as they are active and eating normally.

When there are sudden drops in temperatures it can take birds a few days to a few weeks to get used to the new normal. Usually around a week or so.

A healthy bird will keep itself warm. You can help by providing a good ration, and perhaps a small amount of scratch grains for something slower to digest over the day. Don't feed too much scratch. That isn't good either.

Also make sure the bedding is thicker, and drafts are blocked, but there's still good air exchange so moisture doesn't build up in the coop or run. Moisture makes them feel colder.

Good wide roosts will also help them to cover their feet well at night. Hens will tuck their heads under their wing generally.

Also make sure they have access to fresh water as much as possible. I personally like to give warm water whenever possible.

Your hen with the bare back should grow her feathers back in. If necessary remove the rooster temporarily. I personally would not use a saddle as they can be uncomfortable and interfere with the ability to raise and lower feathers for body temperature regulation. External parasites can also get out of control with saddles as birds can't properly dust bath.

 

[3KillerBs]

Where, in general, are you? Climate matters and we can give better-targeted advice if you put your location into your profile.

Don't overdo the treats. They need the solid nutrition of their balanced feed for good health, especially if anyone is molting and growing new feathers.

Also, don't close up their ventilation too much. Their delicate respiratory systems need an abundance of fresh air in the winter just as they do in the summer.

Chickens are tough, adaptable livestock. If they are dry and out of the wind their built-in down parkas will keep them warm.

 

[Mrs. K]

20-40 degrees is not cold for a chicken that can get out of the wind. Wind protection is probably the most important thing. I would not change their diet, or add a saddle.

A lot of harm is done by people trying to keep them warm, when what people should do is keep the dry. So good deep bedding, and good ventilation.

mrs K

 

[ChickenTender1203]

Thank you for the responses. The door to the coop gets left wide open during the day and there are small holes in the walls. I actually don't have any pictures but I'll try to get some tomorrow. There is one window that opens at the top of the coop right in front of the roost that I have been leaving closed. I tried the deep litter method but it did not seem to work. This coop has wood floor with vinyl over it and a small layer of pine shavings. We refresh once a week, usually on Sunday. I'm not sure if I started out with enough pine shavings for the deep litter. I added shredded paper/cardboard as well as some dried leaves from around the pen. I mixed it once a week. Maybe I didn't spread out the collection of droppings under the roosts enough? Or water got in from rain. It started to smell really bad in both coops so ai just ended it and went back to changing it out each week. We don't really have a 'run' but just a fenced-in area surrounding the coop. We let them free range all day. I give them warm water every morning we have 3 1 gallon buckets for our 28 chickens. I live in West Tn. Right now I am feeding them a 22% protein feed with the scratch morning and evening, however I can switch to a 16% now that most of them are done melting and just feed scratch in the evenings. In regards to the hens I mentioned, the one in the photo has been acting normally from what I have seen. She is extremely skittish, even within the flock and waits for everyone else to get away from the food before she eats generally. Or she hangs around and waits because she generally will get pecked at. I try to make sure to give her a handful of food to eat separately about 30 minutes before it gets too dark to stay out. She is one of the last ones in at night so it's just the youngest 3, the rooster, and another hen or 2. The one with the bare back is actually the worst I have ever seen our hens. It is a huge area from the tail almost to the neck, I can get a picture tomorrow. It is completely bare and no new feathers have begun to grow in, or they have just gotten ripped right out. We have one rooster with that flock, but two from the other flock tend to go after the older hens. She slept alone so I hope she doesn't get cold. They have been packing themselves pretty tight on the highest roost. We have another roost about an inch down that a few use. The second coop is a large plastic shed. Two large front doors and two small side windows. I have been leaving the windows closed but opening both of the doors. There are 10 pullets(first ones just now starting to lay) and 3 roos. We tried the deep litter in there as well but water keeps getting in when it rains in the back and one of the sides. We have tried to cock up the bottom on the outside but we're going to have to figure out where it is coming in from. This was the first coop to fail the deep litter. It had an awful smell. I didn't really take care of this one as much or add nearly as much pine shavings as I should have as well so it was really expected. I just didn't want a ton of stuff to fall out as the doors were opened. The first coop has a ledge. So the floor is plastic and water gets into it when it rains. Other than that it is pretty great at blocking drafts. The windows technically lock but we have chicken fencing over them so not all the way but they stay closed for the most part.

Edit: I am going to check the hen with loud breathing for any discharge or cough tomorrow morning. Hopefully it's just from the cold air.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Deep litter works best with a dirt floor so the bedding can compost. It can get quite smelly underneath, so it isn't something practical for every coop.

Since you aren't in an area that gets real cold I wouldn't worry and I would just keep up the bedding maintenance as necessary. Here we freeze solid so I will bulk up the bedding with some hay and clean less often in winter. Bedding that doesn't freeze can continue to give off moisture, so it's best changed out as necessary.

Is you bare back hen older? I've had some older hens not molt until December some years. I've never had one not grow it's feathers in during the fall.

I personally would keep up a higher protein ration. I feed one with 20% protein year round.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Deep litter is best done in a larger coop with a lot of ventilation, moisture and ground contact, to allow the litter to compost in place. It doesn't sound like you're set up for it. Sounds like you tried deep bedding (dry) but if water is getting in and/or you don't have enough ventilation to allow ammonia and moisture to escape, it can lead to issues with odor and respiratory problems.

Can you post photos of your coop? How much ventilation (in sq ft) is open at night?

 

[3KillerBs]

The door to the coop gets left wide open during the day and there are small holes in the walls. I actually don't have any pictures but I'll try to get some tomorrow. There is one window that opens at the top of the coop right in front of the roost that I have been leaving closed. I tried the deep litter method but it did not seem to work.

That sounds like far, far too little ventilation -- which would be one of the reasons that the deep bedding didn't work. If you don't have adequate airflow the bedding can't stay dry.

The respiratory problem could also be caused by poor ventilation -- chickens have very delicate respirator systems -- or, at least, it would be made worse by lack of fresh air.

Here's my article on coop ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

And my article on Deep Bedding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

Can you post photos of your coop? How much ventilation (in sq ft) is open at night?

Yes, this.

We can help you improve things once we know what you're working with.