Molting twice?

[cheapcheepcheep]

Hi,
I have 3 Barred Rocks. One of them molted in November. Two molted in December, and thanks to Polar Vortex one, I ended up bringing them inside for about a week until it got warmer and they stopped molting. Now the one who molted in November seems to be at it again. I go in the coop, and there are feathers everywhere, and she's starting to look a little ragged. Can they molt twice? She's the alpha, so could it be stress? I give them yogurt and scratch each day on top of regular layer feed, so hopefully they get nutrition (I also put acv in the water, and got some black oil sunflower seeds to give them too). I may end up bringing her back inside until Polar Vortex 2 passes, even though I know you're not really supposed to touch them when they're molting. Could it be something else?

(I also have 3 Buff Orpingtons, but they molted in Fall and are fine and generally mellow, if occasionally broody. 6 in the flock. I'm stumped.)

Thanks for any input you may have.

 

[cgmccary]

Yes, different stresses can cause another molt (including severe weather, disease, changes in environment). Make sure she gets some extra protein because feathers are like 85% protein. Some people give their molting birds a handful of dry cat food every day during a molt. I know it is a lot colder where you are but we have been in the teens and single digits most evenings & mornings here. My molting birds did just fine staying out with the others in the coop. One particular hen dropped all her feathers at one time and looked bare.

 

[cheapcheepcheep]

That's good to know they can handle the single digits and teens. I think that's where we may be for the next week, though a few nights might hit the negatives. She doesn't have any bald spots I can see, so maybe I'll leave her out there, rather than make it tougher by changing her environment.

Thanks for the cat food tip. We have a bag of dry food the cats don't like, so now I have something to do with it!