Molting in winter

[Gopeckgo]

My austrolorp and weyendotte started molting this week and it’s supposed to get sub zero here tonight. I do not use heat in my coop. They are my oldest girls and top girls in the flock - they roost up top and don’t snuggle with the rest. Will they be fine? I gave them a-lot of treats today and warm oatmeal at bedtime and they are on a high protein feed right now. Thanks

 

[Debbie292d]

If they have bare skin, I'd put them in your garage or somewhere warmer. Sub zero as in BELOW zero on bare skin and they won't survive.

If you have electricity to your coop, I'd at least get them a Cozy Coop radiant heater. They can lean on that.

 

[Gopeckgo]

Ok. Crap I will see what I can do!

 

[Gopeckgo]

If they have bare skin, I'd put them in your garage or somewhere warmer. Sub zero as in BELOW zero on bare skin and they won't survive.

If you have electricity to your coop, I'd at least get them a Cozy Coop radiant heater. They can lean on that.

Would a hot water bottle work?

 

[Debbie292d]

Would a hot water bottle work?

For a couple of hours maybe.

 

[Debbie292d]

Do you have some not molting? You could make sure the molting ones are in between the non-molting ones if they'd put up with that.

Are the subzero temps just for one night or is this going on for days/weeks?

I'd say bring them in and put them in your basement, but then you've got the issue of trying to acclimate them to the cold again so that's not always in their best interest.

 

[Mrs. K]

Really they will be happier if you do nothing. It seems so wrong to molt in winter, but they do and generally do fine.

 

[Gopeckgo]

I decided to leave them as they are tonight. They are all asleep and I am stressing them out and just letting in more cold air trying to make adjustments. I am upset that I wasnt prepared for this. My chickens have been through much worse without heat but I never expected them to molt in December! Thank you for your replies