Molting?

[MissJenny]

I am a big believer that Mother Nature knows what she's doing. Calves are born in spring, on certain trees the leaves turn up to catch rain... so now that the temperatures have taken a nosedive my hens are losing their feathers? What's up with that -- they need their feathers. I don't get it.

Jenny

 

[pslane]

It's probably just a late molt that was supposed to take place a few weeks ago. If your state is anything like ours (SC) we have crazy weather this time of the year. 75 in the daytime and down to 30's at night. They'll probably get new feathers in right away.

Pauline

 

[MissJenny]

Our weather has been irrational lately -- way too warm and then suddenly cold. I certainly hope she gets her feather back in fairly quickly. I've been giving them all an extra serving of salmon for the protein -- hope it helps!

My other ones molted earlier and not quite so heavily. Now that it's cold I've got this one looking like a Raggedy Chicken.

Jenny

 

[pslane]

Well, maybe you should take that one in at night until she feathers out. With my Seramas, I always bring them in to the porch cage and cover with a blanket on nights below freezing. But Seramas are a breed from the tropics so it's worse for them. You can even put them in a well ventilated cardboard box on a cold night and along with their own heat, it's nice and warm.

I buy the cheap brand of minced canned dog food and give it to my chickens occasionally.

Pauline