Why is my chicky moulting in the freezing cold?

[justamouse]

I checked her up and down for mites, scared the bejebus out of myself reading the chicken disease links (it's like googling symptoms!) and checked her for pinfeathers--which she has. (I have a parrot, too, so I know what pinfeathers look like) I had to bring her inside because it's been so cold out I thought I was going to lose her tonight. She was down at the bottom of the coop, not moving and not opening her eyes. I have her inside, in a box with molasses water, some broccoli we had for dinner and some cooked oatmeal. She's one of my Delies and I just love her awful, I don't know if bringing her in was the right thing to do, but I think she's freezing out there. She's been in about an hour and she is perking up, but now what?

 

[purpletree23]

Take away the molasses water. Molasses to a chicken is like a laxative for us. The big drawback by bringing her in is that you might have a house chicken til spring but that's a good thing and not bad.

If she has pin feathers coming in she is just molting. I also have a mixed up hen who started to molt just before the cold snap. She hopes that no one will see her dressed in the homemade (badly made) sweater mom dressed her in. She would just die of embarrassment poor thing.

Give your little one a lot of protein. Scrambled egg, shelled sunflower seeds, pulverized pieces of chicken or beef. It sounds like a lot but 1 scrambled egg should last her 3 days. Get her some grower crumbles or pellets instead of feeding her layer feed if that is what she is on now. Lots of water and TLC and she'll be fine. Promise!

 

[justamouse]

Will do! Thanks for all of the help.