Frozen chickens?

[Byrd gal]

My chickens are in a hard molt. Our first one actually. It is supposed to drop into the twenties at night and forty with wind all week with snow. Should I put a coop heater out? It is a flat panel type for chickens just as an option. They are quite bald to the point of seeing skin. It is such a temp change will they adapt?

 

[The WinterWolf]

put heaters out, put out heat plates, and try to do everything you can to keep them warm. also, make sure to put vaseline on their combs

 

[DobieLover]

My chickens are in a hard molt. Our first one actually. It is supposed to drop into the twenties at night and forty with wind all week with snow. Should I put a coop heater out? It is a flat panel type for chickens just as an option. They are quite bald to the point of seeing skin. It is such a temp change will they adapt?

As long as she can seek shelter from any wind, she'll be okay.
I had a hen go through a hard molt in similar conditions. She wanted to sleep in the nest box. I let her. She did feather out pretty quickly.
I would avoid adding heat to the coop.
I would also add more fresh dry bedding for them to hunker down in during the day and make sure you're winter run wind protection is in place.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

She should be fine so long as she can stay dry and out of the wind. I have some naked necks currently going even more naked and they seem just fine despite it not getting warmer than 45 during the days

 

[Hensintexas]

I would just pay close attention to how they act. A chicken has a body temp of @ 103 to 105. They will snuggle together and stay toasty for the most part.
Ours aren’t dropping too many feathers right now, except for the Cornish X. Those poor babies are literally half naked, not that they have heavy plumage to begin with. Now they do get cold, stay huddled together, and don’t move much if it’s windy. They have a sheltered place to gather. So, that’s what they do, giving the chicken stink eye to anybody else who wants in.

 

[aart]

As long as she can seek shelter from any wind, she'll be okay.
I had a hen go through a hard molt in similar conditions. She wanted to sleep in the nest box. I let her. She did feather out pretty quickly.
I would avoid adding heat to the coop.
I would also add more fresh dry bedding for them to hunker down in during the day and make sure you're winter run wind protection is in place.

Ditto Dat!

make sure to put vaseline on their combs

Do NOT do this^^^.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

put heaters out, put out heat plates, and try to do everything you can to keep them warm. also, make sure to put vaseline on their combs

Actually, unless temps are below freezing during the day, all this is unnecessary.

 

[aart]

Actually, unless temps are below freezing during the day, all this is unnecessary.

Yes, well below freezing.

 

[The WinterWolf]

i would still put vaseline on their combs, but you guys are the experts here

 

[Dhkoenig]

I decided to put a heating pad out for mine - one of them (hard molt like yours) is an odd-lady-out and the other girls don't let her perch with them so I got the heating pad to put underneath her perch. I feel good about it. I don't have to wonder. It is a low setting so it isn't like I am getting my hen used to tropical temps, but once her molt is over and she is feathered out, it will be a gradual acclimation back. I like the idea of giving her a bit of comfort that is subtle and then gradually goes away as her feathers come in