Do chickens molt in the winter (cold/wet) weather?

[aart]

Your coop has no ventilation!(that I can see)
Not that it has anything to do with the head molt......but not good overall.

 

[Reschimnee]

The "odd" smell is concerning. Can you describe in more detail?

I actually smelled her this morning and it’s gone. Not sure what I smelled yesterday but doesn’t appear to be her.

 

[Reschimnee]

Your coop has no ventilation!(that I can see)
Not that it has anything to do with the head molt......but not good overall.

Probably not a very good picture. It’s quite ventilated actually.

 

[Reschimnee]

Your coop has no ventilation!(that I can see)
Not that it has anything to do with the head molt......but not good overall.

The roof isn’t sealed tight, but covered to keep rain out, the bottom is open lattice the whole way around and we have a pretty steady breeze all the time in our yard that blows throughout the coop but not too much so it is too cold on their stoops.

 

[aart]

The roof isn’t sealed tight, but covered to keep rain out, the bottom is open lattice the whole way around and we have a pretty steady breeze all the time in our yard that blows throughout the coop but not too much so it is too cold on their stoops.

So there's no floor in the coop itself, it's open to the latticed run below?
Pics of inside?
Nest lid looks like it could be 'leaky'.
Sorry, can't help but see the possible problem points(my job for 2 decades).

 

[Reschimnee]

So there's no floor in the coop itself, it's open to the latticed run below?
Pics of inside?
Nest lid looks like it could be 'leaky'.
Sorry, can't help but see the possible problem points(my job for 2 decades).

There isn’t a floor, we’ve been told to put down grass clippings and bedding and to make sure to tend to it regularly, which I do. There is a cement block inside that their feeders/water sit on and a ladder that goes up to the two level stoops. The way the covers are, it doesn’t seem to leak, which was my initial concern when we got it with the chickens, neighbor built it so we inspected it. The roof is shingled to help with rain run off but underneaath it’s not sealed air tight so to still provide ventilation up there. The bedding areas are similar (the front part that sticks out) 4 beds and the bedding stays dry, but there is also a gap under the cover for ventilation and hasn’t let any rain in as of yet. The lattice bottom is recent, we have fox and coyotes around so we were trying to make it less accessible to them. Do you think the lattice is too much? I do appreciate your experience and suggestions. I’m still new at this so every little bit helps.

 

[Reschimnee]

So there's no floor in the coop itself, it's open to the latticed run below?
Pics of inside?
Nest lid looks like it could be 'leaky'.
Sorry, can't help but see the possible problem points(my job for 2 decades).

Sorry, correction, there is no lattice on the back, just chicken wire.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You've had good feedback. In reference to your first question, they can molt any time of the year. Normally my birds molt between August and January with the bulk from September to November (Northern Hemisphere).
As to the chicken wire, I hope you replace it soon with 1/2" hardware cloth before raccoons, coyotes and dogs break in.

 

[Reschimnee]

You've had good feedback. In reference to your first question, they can molt any time of the year. Normally my birds molt between August and January with the bulk from September to November (Northern Hemisphere).
As to the chicken wire, I hope you replace it soon with 1/2" hardware cloth before raccoons, coyotes and dogs break in.

It backs onto our chain link fence so they can’t get in back there....I hope

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's good.
That takes care of the dogs and coyotes.
Eventually a weasel or mink may find a small hole there.