is my chicken too cold?

[kumokumo]

16% protein is a bare minimum. It's not enough for molting chickens, as feathers are made of protein so they need more. When I free range my chickens, I keep them in their run with the feeders for most of the day to be sure they're getting adequate nutrition. I let them free range for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Corn, scratch, worms, table scraps, etc., should only make up about 10% of their diet or they'll fill up on all that (cake and ice cream) and not get enough proper nutrition (meat and potatoes) from the 20% or higher All-Flock, Grower or Feather Fixer formula. These don't contain calcium so you need to provide oyster shell in a separate container for the layers. Non-laying birds don't need it and won't eat it.

yeah, their oyster shell crumble is put in a different area than their food. i feed them extra meat on most days. i’ve been working on sparing treats on them, and that’s why im looking for good feeds for my little girls.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

she’s finished her molt, now she’s very energetic and eating well. how can i help my other hens with their molt? they just look so sad and huddled up. how do i know if they’re just molting or they’re sick?

Provide your other hens with their normal feed.

Most do look miserable during molt, they can look pretty sorry for themselves.
They may benefit from a little extra protein during molt. You can give them treats of egg, fish or meat to help boost protein a bit.

 

[kumokumo]

Provide your other hens with their normal feed.

Most do look miserable during molt, they can look pretty sorry for themselves.
They may benefit from a little extra protein during molt. You can give them treats of egg, fish or meat to help boost protein a bit.

thanks for replying! i worry that they’re sick and im just brushing it off as a molt. the chickens are now happily eating their new crumble, but if anyone has a specific crumble that works well (and doesn’t cost too much) i’d like some recommendations too !!

i also have a question about the humidity in the chicken coop. how humid should it be? it generally stays between 20-30%, and i always have a window cracked in their house and a heater/fan for more airflow. i was worried about respiratory problems that i dealt with last winter, so i made sure they got plenty of air flow. i heard that super high humidity leads to frostbite, so ive been making sure the humidity stays as low as possible. is there bad effects of low humidity? sorry if this is a stupid question

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't know the answer to your question about humidity, I will tag @Ridgerunner and see what he says. But I want to assure you, there are no stupid questions when it comes to caring for your birds and nobody is going to fault you or mock you here for seeking help in doing what's best for them. We were all beginners once and one day you'll be the one helping a newbie.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

thanks for replying! i worry that they’re sick and im just brushing it off as a molt. the chickens are now happily eating their new crumble, but if anyone has a specific crumble that works well (and doesn’t cost too much) i’d like some recommendations too !!

i also have a question about the humidity in the chicken coop. how humid should it be? it generally stays between 20-30%, and i always have a window cracked in their house and a heater/fan for more airflow. i was worried about respiratory problems that i dealt with last winter, so i made sure they got plenty of air flow. i heard that super high humidity leads to frostbite, so ive been making sure the humidity stays as low as possible. is there bad effects of low humidity? sorry if this is a stupid question

Post some photos of the hens and their poop if you are concerned they are sick instead of molting.

Where are you located in the world? That's helpful to know. You're using heat in your coop, so must be in an extremely cold environment.

Closing up ventilation can contribute to respiratory illnesses in winter (or all year round). You do want plenty of ventilation in your coop. Of course closing off or blocking direct wind and drafts are important in cold weather, but it's best to have plenty of fresh air circulating within your coop.

I can't say what humidity should be. I've never checked my coop. It stays nice and dry in there, but I would assume humidity would be somewhat directly related to what the outside humidity is.

20-30% humidity is quite dry, even for humans. Just a quick google search reveals that in Commercial poultry operations, poultry houses are kept between 50-70% humidity.

 

[kumokumo]

Post some photos of the hens and their poop if you are concerned they are sick instead of molting.

Where are you located in the world? That's helpful to know. You're using heat in your coop, so must be in an extremely cold environment.

Closing up ventilation can contribute to respiratory illnesses in winter (or all year round). You do want plenty of ventilation in your coop. Of course closing off or blocking direct wind and drafts are important in cold weather, but it's best to have plenty of fresh air circulating within your coop.

I can't say what humidity should be. I've never checked my coop. It stays nice and dry in there, but I would assume humidity would be somewhat directly related to what the outside humidity is.

20-30% humidity is quite dry, even for humans. Just a quick google search reveals that in Commercial poultry operations, poultry houses are kept between 50-70% humidity.

i live in MN. last week, it was routinely going below 0 degrees f and we had strong winds. it’s warming up a little now, but it’s still extremely windy. i let the chickens out every day for about an hour when the weather is above 30 degrees f, but some are still in their molt and prefer to stay inside. for 3 of my hens (2 lav orps and 1 salmon fav), it’s their second winter. for one of my hens, a little bantam, it’ll be her first so she hasn’t molted. our bantam rooster hasn’t molted, but it’ll be his second winter as well. this hen is currently molting right now, and she’s been hiding a lot. her poop has been very runny. i’ll try and get a photo of her poop today. should i add more humidity in the coop? how should i go about that?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Disclaimer: These are my opinions and do not represent the official view of this forum.

16% protein is a bare minimum. It's not enough for molting chickens, as feathers are made of protein so they need more.

This is one place I disagree with a lot of people on here, including people I respect. When hens molt they typically stop laying eggs. Many lay 5 or 6 eggs a week. Eggs contain a lot of protein, about 5 to 7 grams each, depending on size. Since they are not laying they have extra protein to use to grow feathers.

The speed of a molt is controlled by how fast the feathers fall out, not how fast they grow back in once they fall out. That is controlled by genetics. Feeding them extra protein is not going to make the feathers fall out any faster.

I do not personally see any benefit regarding the molt in feeding them higher levels of protein than they normally get. Breeders that raise show chickens do feed a high level of protein. The judges reward them for big chickens and more protein means bigger chickens. There could be a benefit in how pretty the feathers look with a lot of protein but some that raise show chickens drizzle a little oil on the feed to get shinier prettier feathers. I don't raise show chickens so I don't worry about things like that. I was probably spoiled by growing up with chickens that pretty much fed themselves except when there was snow on the ground. I understand in Minnesota you get a lot of snow and you do need to feed them.

I've seen chickens sleep in trees in temperatures as low as -10 Fahrenheit, with no issues. Those trees were in an area protected from winds. You cannot get better ventilation than sleeping in a tree. The vast majority of us do not have the ability to let the chickens roam and live like that. I sure do not. The way we house them can put them at higher risk, either from lack of ventilation or us letting a cold breeze hit them. On their own they are extremely good at managing these things but sometimes we limit their options.

To me, my chickens are not pets or members of the family. I think of them as chickens and try to give them a good life for chickens. That includes decent food, clean water, protection from predators, and protection from the elements. I try to let them act like chickens. I understand I am different to a lot of members of this forum.

Your chickens are used to 16% protein feed. I would expect them to do fine on that. If your chickens were used to 20% or22% protein feed I'd suggest you maintain that. Their bodies have probably gotten used to that and may now need it.

she’s finished her molt, now she’s very energetic and eating well. how can i help my other hens with their molt? they just look so sad and huddled up. how do i know if they’re just molting or they’re sick?

The one you were so worried about is now fine. Now the other two are molting and you are worried about them. It is late for a molt, I'm not sure why they are so late. How do you know they are molting? Are you seeing feathers that have fallen out? Bare spots not attributed to some other cause?

Across the internet I can't tell if they are sick or molting. Are they eating and drinking well? Are they spending all day in one spot fluffed up and looking miserable? If they are eating and drinking OK and moving around some they are probably OK but I can't give guarantees.

Good luck!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Disclaimer: These are my opinions and do not represent the official view of this forum.


This is one place I disagree with a lot of people on here, including people I respect. When hens molt they typically stop laying eggs. Many lay 5 or 6 eggs a week. Eggs contain a lot of protein, about 5 to 7 grams each, depending on size. Since they are not laying they have extra protein to use to grow feathers.

The speed of a molt is controlled by how fast the feathers fall out, not how fast they grow back in once they fall out. That is controlled by genetics. Feeding them extra protein is not going to make the feathers fall out any faster.

I do not personally see any benefit regarding the molt in feeding them higher levels of protein than they normally get. Breeders that raise show chickens do feed a high level of protein. The judges reward them for big chickens and more protein means bigger chickens. There could be a benefit in how pretty the feathers look with a lot of protein but some that raise show chickens drizzle a little oil on the feed to get shinier prettier feathers. I don't raise show chickens so I don't worry about things like that. I was probably spoiled by growing up with chickens that pretty much fed themselves except when there was snow on the ground. I understand in Minnesota you get a lot of snow and you do need to feed them.

I've seen chickens sleep in trees in temperatures as low as -10 Fahrenheit, with no issues. Those trees were in an area protected from winds. You cannot get better ventilation than sleeping in a tree. The vast majority of us do not have the ability to let the chickens roam and live like that. I sure do not. The way we house them can put them at higher risk, either from lack of ventilation or us letting a cold breeze hit them. On their own they are extremely good at managing these things but sometimes we limit their options.

To me, my chickens are not pets or members of the family. I think of them as chickens and try to give them a good life for chickens. That includes decent food, clean water, protection from predators, and protection from the elements. I try to let them act like chickens. I understand I am different to a lot of members of this forum.

Your chickens are used to 16% protein feed. I would expect them to do fine on that. If your chickens were used to 20% or22% protein feed I'd suggest you maintain that. Their bodies have probably gotten used to that and may now need it.


The one you were so worried about is now fine. Now the other two are molting and you are worried about them. It is late for a molt, I'm not sure why they are so late. How do you know they are molting? Are you seeing feathers that have fallen out? Bare spots not attributed to some other cause?

Across the internet I can't tell if they are sick or molting. Are they eating and drinking well? Are they spending all day in one spot fluffed up and looking miserable? If they are eating and drinking OK and moving around some they are probably OK but I can't give guarantees.

Good luck!

Thank you, @Ridgrunner, as always I learn so much from you.

 

[kumokumo]

Disclaimer: These are my opinions and do not represent the official view of this forum.


This is one place I disagree with a lot of people on here, including people I respect. When hens molt they typically stop laying eggs. Many lay 5 or 6 eggs a week. Eggs contain a lot of protein, about 5 to 7 grams each, depending on size. Since they are not laying they have extra protein to use to grow feathers.

The speed of a molt is controlled by how fast the feathers fall out, not how fast they grow back in once they fall out. That is controlled by genetics. Feeding them extra protein is not going to make the feathers fall out any faster.

I do not personally see any benefit regarding the molt in feeding them higher levels of protein than they normally get. Breeders that raise show chickens do feed a high level of protein. The judges reward them for big chickens and more protein means bigger chickens. There could be a benefit in how pretty the feathers look with a lot of protein but some that raise show chickens drizzle a little oil on the feed to get shinier prettier feathers. I don't raise show chickens so I don't worry about things like that. I was probably spoiled by growing up with chickens that pretty much fed themselves except when there was snow on the ground. I understand in Minnesota you get a lot of snow and you do need to feed them.

I've seen chickens sleep in trees in temperatures as low as -10 Fahrenheit, with no issues. Those trees were in an area protected from winds. You cannot get better ventilation than sleeping in a tree. The vast majority of us do not have the ability to let the chickens roam and live like that. I sure do not. The way we house them can put them at higher risk, either from lack of ventilation or us letting a cold breeze hit them. On their own they are extremely good at managing these things but sometimes we limit their options.

To me, my chickens are not pets or members of the family. I think of them as chickens and try to give them a good life for chickens. That includes decent food, clean water, protection from predators, and protection from the elements. I try to let them act like chickens. I understand I am different to a lot of members of this forum.

Your chickens are used to 16% protein feed. I would expect them to do fine on that. If your chickens were used to 20% or22% protein feed I'd suggest you maintain that. Their bodies have probably gotten used to that and may now need it.


The one you were so worried about is now fine. Now the other two are molting and you are worried about them. It is late for a molt, I'm not sure why they are so late. How do you know they are molting? Are you seeing feathers that have fallen out? Bare spots not attributed to some other cause?

Across the internet I can't tell if they are sick or molting. Are they eating and drinking well? Are they spending all day in one spot fluffed up and looking miserable? If they are eating and drinking OK and moving around some they are probably OK but I can't give guarantees.

Good luck!

oh, these chickens are molting all right. i see these chickens as pets, and they’re very dear to me. my chickens have spent lots of time around me and some of them act like dogs (they want to cuddle and follow me around). their coop is full of grey feathers. and when i touch them, i feel lots of new feathers growing in and lots of feathers fall out when i do touch them. one of my hens, kumo (a very round lavender orpington) has been sitting in one spot repeatedly and looks pretty sad. she’s the one that i posted in this thread. my chickens don’t fight a lot, as they were (mostly) all raised together as little chicks. and when they do have little squabbles, it’s usually some balding on their head. my salmon favorelle has always been bossy as a chick. kumo, however, is probably the heaviest out of all of the chickens and last year i didn’t have any concerns about her, especially since she’s very fluffy and has a good weight. but that was her first winter, so she didn’t molt. this is my first time dealing with molting. my chickens are also dealing with their first molt, so i don’t know what to expect. today, i found her huddled in a little spot and i carried her to their lit and heated house. the wind was about 18 mph, or at least that’s what the weather report said.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

i live in MN. last week, it was routinely going below 0 degrees f and we had strong winds. it’s warming up a little now, but it’s still extremely windy. i let the chickens out every day for about an hour when the weather is above 30 degrees f, but some are still in their molt and prefer to stay inside. for 3 of my hens (2 lav orps and 1 salmon fav), it’s their second winter. for one of my hens, a little bantam, it’ll be her first so she hasn’t molted. our bantam rooster hasn’t molted, but it’ll be his second winter as well. this hen is currently molting right now, and she’s been hiding a lot. her poop has been very runny. i’ll try and get a photo of her poop today. should i add more humidity in the coop? how should i go about that?

If it's windy, they will find places out of the wind, if that means staying inside the coop, that's what they will do.

I don't add heat to my coop, I do put up wind blocking (plastic) on the run so they will be more comfortable moving about outside within the run.