Moulting in January??

[Slamoureux]

One of my girls has apparently decided that mid-January (at -30 degrees!) is a good time to molt. She doesn’t seem to be getting picked on, no scabs or bleeding anywhere (other than a touch of frostbite to her wattles and comb), but this is my first winter with chickens and I’m a little concerned with the cold snap we’re having in Manitoba. She’s still alert and active, and eats all the treats I bring her. The coop is insulated but unheated, they do have a Cozy Coop heating panel on one wall.

I guess I’m just looking for reassurance that this is normal (just really bad timing?), and my little lady will be ok once her feathers come back in!

 

[cherrynberry]

One of my girls has apparently decided that mid-January (at -30 degrees!) is a good time to molt. She doesn’t seem to be getting picked on, no scabs or bleeding anywhere (other than a touch of frostbite to her wattles and comb), but this is my first winter with chickens and I’m a little concerned with the cold snap we’re having in Manitoba. She’s still alert and active, and eats all the treats I bring her. The coop is insulated but unheated, they do have a Cozy Coop heating panel on one wall.

I guess I’m just looking for reassurance that this is normal (just really bad timing?), and my little lady will be ok once her feathers come back in!

Yes, I have birds that molt in Jan. Most people say its because good layers molt later and take longer, but I have no idea if that is true or not. I do know that some of my good layers are still in the middle of a molt now, though.