How bad can the effects of molt get!!?? Please read!!

[JaciesCoop]

I have one Jersey giant who seemed to molt overnight. I had not really worried about her until this morning. When I let them out to range in the back yard she is kept fluffing up her neck feathers and drooping her wings and sitting down.
I now have her inside in the brooder in the spare bedroom where it stays very cool but not freezing as it's been getting out side.

My coop has a heat lamp but the temps have been down in the low 20's the last 3 nights. Could the cold have done this to her?
She is in the brooder with electrolytes, their salad which is a mixture of a lot of things and her regular feed. She is alert and seems quite happy to be inside.

Since I'm rambling LOL! my question is am I on the right track thinking this was just due to the cold and lack of feathers?
She has a lot of new feather shafts so new feathers will be coming in.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Here's a pic of her (poor thing

)

Jacie

 

[Chickenaddict]

I am not sure of this is due to the cold or not but sometimes they do molt pretty hard. She clearly looks as if she is molting. Perhaps she just got too cold due to no feathers on her back and was trying to puff herself out to keep warm? I would try supplimenting her diet with cooked egg whether it be hard boiled or scrambled or just fried in a pan. That will up her protein. Poor girl

its tough being a chicken. Keep an eye on her for other symptoms to rule out any illness. Also check for mites to make sure that isn't part of the problem. Good luck with her and I hope she turns out ok.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

New Jersey Giants seem to molt really hard. I have two roos and a hen and they are all doing a hard molt.

I worry that they will get cold and become sick and die. All I can do is hope mother nature takes care of them.

 

[Kovalciks Chickens]

I have a chicken that was a special free be bird. Every spring and fall she molts all the way. By all the way it looks like she jumped off the dinner plate except she has a head and legs.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Increase her protein. Either by changing your feed to a higher % or supplement her with scrambled eggs, cooked chicken, I even know people who feed chopped liver.


The development and growth of feathers requires alot of protein.