Another molting question

[PennyM]

I had this on another's post and realized I was pirating so I started my own thread...

Two of my girls just started to molt a few days ago. Being in South Carolina, it doesn't get drastically cold here just when we have wind chills. I have sand in my coop and deep litter in the run. I really don't want to use straw so do you think using alfalfa would keep them warm if they were cold as well as giving them something to keep them busy? TIA

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

They will be perfectly fine unless it is like down in the teens.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

.... Being in South Carolina, it doesn't get drastically cold.... I really don't want to use straw... do you think... alfalfa would keep them warm... as well as giving them something to keep them busy...

I think that wheat straw and plenty of it will do more for keeping your flock busy than anything else you can do. Feed 15 to 25% of their winter ration in shelled corn, pellets, and scratch grains with enough kibbles dog, cat, or pig chow to augment the protein to say 18%. Scatter this feed in the straw and let your flock scratch to their little hearts' content for the noon feeding. Not only will this break the monotony of being penned but your birds will get some much needed exercise hunting down the tidbits hiding in the wheat straw.