Molting chicken was brought inside and now we don’t know what to do!

[CityChick1659]

I live in Minnesota so it’s gets pretty cold in the winters here. I have 4 chickens right now, sadly 3 passed away last summer. One of my chickens started molting a little over a week ago in the middle of January. When she had most of her feathers gone it got really cold one night and on Monday I found her on the floor of the coop, barely moving. I brought her inside and miraculously she was still alive! Unfortunately now we have the issue of a chicken in our house now. I have no idea when I can let her back outside or how to integrate her back into the pecking order. Any ideas or tips from anyone who has had something like this happen?!

 

[cavemanrich]

It is a situation where you will need to keep her inside since hen is somewhat naked. When her feathers regrow, then just introduce her back to your flock. She will be treated like a newcomer,,,,, but that process is not long. Best to do the introduction outside in the run,,,,, or free-range. I have added new chickens to my flock many times over the past 20+ years.
I suggest you feed your indoor hen extra protein if possible. Feather growth takes protein. Small amounts of cat food will work as supplemental protein in their diet. Just view my Avatar. My chickens try to raid the cat food whenever possible.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[gtaus]

Welcome to the forum.

I live in northern Minnesota. We have had some really cold nights, down to -30F. My hens were in various states of molt going into the winter, but none of them lost all their feathers to the point where they could not keep themselves warm.

I have an old plastic dog kennel carrier that I can use as an emergency pen for a chicken with special needs. Sounds like your chicken in molt almost froze to death. I don't know what your housing situation is, but I could keep my chicken in the dog kennel down in the basement for a few weeks, or longer, while she grows her feathers back. Sad to say, the end of January is by no means the end of our cold weather in Minnesota.

Already mentioned, I switch to a higher protein mix in the feed to encourage feather regrowth.

If you can give your chicken in molt time to grow back some of her feathers, and get stronger again, then I do not think it will be very difficult to reintroduce her back into the flock. The longer you can give her time to recover and grow her feathers out, might be better for her. Also, I would try to transition any bird that has been in the house for days/weeks time to adjust to colder weather, by maybe going from the basement to the garage for a number of days, before going back outside to the coop.

I have never had to do that with my birds, but I know how cold it is at nights here in Minnesota and how much energy the birds must have to expend just to keep warm and survive in our winters. Unfortunate timing for the chicken to go into molt in January, but I hope you can get your chicken through it.

 

[RoyalChick]

I am in New Jersey so not as cold as you get but we are getting low single digit degrees F.
My Dotty decided to do a hard molt and I have been wrestling with what to do.
No answer for you, just sharing what I am doing so far.
On the worst night so far I brought her in to the garage in a dog crate. I moved her after dark to reduce stress. And then I returned her outside during the day. I have been feeding her starter/grower hot mash. It is 22% protein. As well as corn for carbs.
Last night I gave in and put a small oil filled radiator on in the storage part of the coop in the hope it delivers some warmth to where she roosts.
I shoukd also confess I put a coop camera pointing at her and woke up several times in the night ready to go out and bring her back to the garage. We are an hour from dawn and I am a nervous wreck!
Good luck with you lady. Sounds to me like Cavey and gtaus already gave great advice.
Welcome to BYC!

 

[gtaus]

I shoukd also confess I put a coop camera pointing at her and woke up several times in the night ready to go out and bring her back to the garage. We are an hour from dawn and I am a nervous wreck!

I don't think I could do that to myself. Easier for me to put the chicken in a dog crate and put her down in the basement. As much as I like my chickens, they are not my pets and I have refused to get so attached to them that I work myself up in a frenzy if they get sick. I do what I can for them, as best I can, but if a chicken dies, I just move on. Is that cold hearted? I don't know. But it has allowed me to enjoy raising all kinds of small animals for about 50 years.

Anyway, I hope OP is able to save her hen with some recovery time in a warmer place while she grows back her feathers. It does get extremely cold here in Minnesota with some nights this winter getting down to -35F where I live. My chickens look pretty shagged when in molt, but so far, none of them have lost their feathers in the dead of winter so they are still able to keep themselves warm.

 

[RoyalChick]

I don't think I could do that to myself. Easier for me to put the chicken in a dog crate and put her down in the basement. As much as I like my chickens, they are not my pets and I have refused to get so attached to them that I work myself up in a frenzy if they get sick. I do what I can for them, as best I can, but if a chicken dies, I just move on. Is that cold hearted? I don't know. But it has allowed me to enjoy raising all kinds of small animals for about 50 years.

Anyway, I hope OP is able to save her hen with some recovery time in a warmer place while she grows back her feathers. It does get extremely cold here in Minnesota with some nights this winter getting down to -35F where I live. My chickens look pretty shagged when in molt, but so far, none of them have lost their feathers in the dead of winter so they are still able to keep themselves warm.

Totally respect that. I am relatively new to chickens and only have four, so I guess each one is a friend at this stage. And Dotty is a naked-in-January friend!
Anyway, she is way perkier this morning than I am so maybe I can relax a bit tonight.

 

[gtaus]

Totally respect that. I am relatively new to chickens and only have four, so I guess each one is a friend at this stage. And Dotty is a naked-in-January friend!
Anyway, she is way perkier this morning than I am so maybe I can relax a bit tonight.

Good to hear your chicken is doing better. Hope you can relax and get some sleep yourself.

 

[RoyalChick]

Good to hear your chicken is doing better. Hope you can relax and get some sleep yourself.

Thank you. Another cold night tonight but much less than before and I know she can survive so I am a bit less worried. She still looks like hell and her crop wasn't totally empty this morning so I am still a tad worried about her.