Hen in Hard molt during -6 degree weather

rachaelrea95

Hatching
Feb 1, 2021
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Hey guys,
About a week ago I decided to bring 2 of my Buff hens in because one's back has been "naked" since September and the other had been huddled in the corner of the coup for days shivering. I have tried everything to keep both outside with the flock, but with January/February weather in Maine (-6 some nights) I chose to bring them inside to my basement area (stays around 45 degrees). The hen in hard molt has feathers coming in a lot better now and she seems to be getting more every day! and the other one seems a lot happier. YAY!
However, I am worried about:
A. taking them back out into the subzero weather once their feathers come back in.
and
B. re-introducing them to the rest of the flock.
If anyone has suggestions that might help, please let me know!
 

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Once their feathers grow back in, they will be fine when they go back out. If it makes you more comfortable, let them out during the warmest part of the day and see what they do - they’ll probably be so happy to go back to foraging and being normal again that they won’t even notice. And you won’t be putting them right back into the cold unprotected; they will have just regrown their jacket lol.
 
I’d agree that putting them out with the flock beginning today/tomorrow during the “warmest” part of the day will be good. You can leave them out until roosting time if that makes it easiest to catch them. But, I wouldn’t keep them away from the flock too long.
 

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