Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Hey my chicken friends I could do with your advice and learning from your experiences.
Diana chose last night to start a full on molt. I have never seen so many feathers in my life! She isn’t quite naked but heading that way.
This (of course) coincides with the weather turning into real winter (light snow right now).
It is above freezing during the day but going down to about 25F (-3.8C) at night. The Chicken Palace seems to maintain a degree higher than that probably due to passive solar heating through the windows.
So far she seems fine, but how would I know if she wasn’t? Is there a temperature at which I should bring her in? Or are there physical signs I should look for? Do chickens shiver?
Any advice welcome.
Thanks!

 

[Lady Red]

Hey my chicken friends I could do with your advice and learning from your experiences.
Diana chose last night to start a full on molt. I have never seen so many feathers in my life! She isn’t quite naked but heading that way.
This (of course) coincides with the weather turning into real winter (light snow right now).
It is above freezing during the day but going down to about 25F (-3.8C) at night. The Chicken Palace seems to maintain a degree higher than that probably due to passive solar heating through the windows.
So far she seems fine, but how would I know if she wasn’t? Is there a temperature at which I should bring her in? Or are there physical signs I should look for? Do chickens shiver?
Any advice welcome.
Thanks!

Take tsk, Diana! Poor timing!
Do you have a brooder plate that can be used in the Palace?
We have one that can be set like a flat screen television, and it has an automatic sensor to turn on and off based on temperature. It is in the coop in a corner they generally don't use, but I've seen Pingu warming herself by it 2x now at night (the other girls don't cuddle with her )

Otherwise, let's be honest... I'm soft and would bring Diana in the house on cold nights until she has a protective layer of fluff for those long chilly overnighters.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Yes. More coffee, a blanket, and a warm kitty.
View attachment 2922064

I love this picture! I just love your gorgeous cat, and your mug!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hey my chicken friends I could do with your advice and learning from your experiences.
Diana chose last night to start a full on molt. I have never seen so many feathers in my life! She isn’t quite naked but heading that way.
This (of course) coincides with the weather turning into real winter (light snow right now).
It is above freezing during the day but going down to about 25F (-3.8C) at night. The Chicken Palace seems to maintain a degree higher than that probably due to passive solar heating through the windows.
So far she seems fine, but how would I know if she wasn’t? Is there a temperature at which I should bring her in? Or are there physical signs I should look for? Do chickens shiver?
Any advice welcome.
Thanks!

You can see them shiver by watching the feathers, you can see them tremble, esp in the tail. I would try to avoid taking her away from her friends at night if possible. I guess first I would see how she behaves. I'd give her warming treats at night and extra protein in her food. I'd try to reduce the drafts she experiences at chicken height where she hangs out and roosts, daytime and night. I'd make warm spots she can go to: a coop warmer where she likes to rest during the day, and you could wrap a heating pad set on low covered with a towel on the roost where her spot is. Get a long one, and have it long-wise on the top of the roost. Probably everybody will want to sit on that! You can watch on the camera to see how that it goes. If she's able to snuggle against anyone for roosting and doesn't appear restless, all might be good.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Hey my chicken friends I could do with your advice and learning from your experiences.
Diana chose last night to start a full on molt. I have never seen so many feathers in my life! She isn’t quite naked but heading that way.
This (of course) coincides with the weather turning into real winter (light snow right now).
It is above freezing during the day but going down to about 25F (-3.8C) at night. The Chicken Palace seems to maintain a degree higher than that probably due to passive solar heating through the windows.
So far she seems fine, but how would I know if she wasn’t? Is there a temperature at which I should bring her in? Or are there physical signs I should look for? Do chickens shiver?
Any advice welcome.
Thanks!

I am having the same issue. I can’t believe my chickens are blowing their coats out now that it’s COLD outdoors. I live in a slightly warmer climate, but I have to tell you, it’s only slightly. It has gone down to 20 degrees a few mornings.

 

[micstrachan]

Idk. I think there is something wrong there.

Please elaborate. Do you think this might be for entertainment, like cock fighting? Like maybe the hawk was released to see what the rooster would do? That would be awful..

 

[RoyalChick]

I am having the same issue. I can’t believe my chickens are blowing their coats out now that it’s COLD outdoors. I live in a slightly warmer climate, but I have to tell you, it’s only slightly. It has gone down to 20 degrees a few mornings.

These chickens clearly need a calendar so they know the proper time of year to do these things.
Minnie is beginning to look rather smug as she is mainly over her molt and her comb is reddening up and I caught her snacking on the oyster shell this morning. No Minnie, November isn't prime laying time. Have a bit more of a rest please!

 

[micstrachan]

Hey my chicken friends I could do with your advice and learning from your experiences.
Diana chose last night to start a full on molt. I have never seen so many feathers in my life! She isn’t quite naked but heading that way.
This (of course) coincides with the weather turning into real winter (light snow right now).
It is above freezing during the day but going down to about 25F (-3.8C) at night. The Chicken Palace seems to maintain a degree higher than that probably due to passive solar heating through the windows.
So far she seems fine, but how would I know if she wasn’t? Is there a temperature at which I should bring her in? Or are there physical signs I should look for? Do chickens shiver?
Any advice welcome.
Thanks!

Chickens do shiver. Last year I am pretty sure Ester was getting hypothermic without her feathers. She was shivering, stumbling, and standing on her hocks. And that was in California.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I am having the same issue. I can’t believe my chickens are blowing their coats out now that it’s COLD outdoors. I live in a slightly warmer climate, but I have to tell you, it’s only slightly. It has gone down to 20 degrees a few mornings.

Peanut has started molting, started a couple of weeks ago, but it seems like a very slow one. Butters had the latest fast one, and was shivering in 45F, but wouldn't always stay out of drafts, she wanted to forage and do everything, the only change in behavior was that she did hang out under the coop more, where it is less drafty, I saw her a couple times in the coop itself, and she would go up to roost earlier than everybody else. She feathered out pretty quickly.

 

[BY Bob]

You can see them shiver by watching the feathers, you can see them tremble, esp in the tail. I would try to avoid taking her away from her friends at night if possible. I guess first I would see how she behaves. I'd give her warming treats at night and extra protein in her food. I'd try to reduce the drafts she experiences at chicken height where she hangs out and roosts, daytime and night. I'd make warm spots she can go to: a coop warmer where she likes to rest during the day, and you could wrap a heating pad set on low covered with a towel on the roost where her spot is. Get a long one, and have it long-wise on the top of the roost. Probably everybody will want to sit on that! You can watch on the camera to see how that it goes. If she's able to snuggle against anyone for roosting and doesn't appear restless, all might be good.

You are fast my friend.

I suggest observation with the cameras and I like the heating pad idea. Sansa still looks awful and I'm so glad I bought the brinsea. It is working great heating one end of the coop. Hattie really likes it.

The way your roosts are RC would have to mount it on a wall next to the roost. The heating pad is probably a better idea.

For me I need Sansa to grow feathers and she does not look any better. I am getting very concerned for her and I'm very anxious to hear from the vet.