One Hen Not Tolerating Cold

[ChickensoftheHill]

It was 0 degrees this morning in northern IL and 1 of my Barred Rocks (the big one with the nice comb and wattles who used to be top of the flock) seems to HATE this cold weather (and so has seemingly fallen off the pedestal of top hen). Is it possible for an individual hen to not tolerate cold as well as others of the same breed? She has been less active and not at all excited about treats the last 3 days.

They are all 8 months old. First thing this morning she ate the oatmeal I provided, but then spends the day moving very little, feathers fluffed. I watched her stand there and tuck her head into her feathers like she was going to sleep right after leaving the coop and eating some oats. She won't even move to eat peanuts if I throw them into the run. She "looks" healthy and is drinking water. She isn't standing on one leg. She isn't molting like one of my others (seriously...why molt in this weather???).

When I go down and sit with them in the run, she gets on my lap or stands close to me fluffed up and stays there until I leave. I feel so bad leaving, lol, as she seems to be using me as a heater.

I hesitate to bring her into the garage as such a move seems stressful for them, but I'm wondering if I need to do that for her. It is set to be -8 later this week and windy, though they are protected from the wind, but still, -8 sucks.

I'm a first timer, so any advice would be great. I'm tired of losing sleep over it, so bring on the advice! And thank you! I appreciate this forum!

 

[The Chick Addict]

It was 0 degrees this morning in northern IL and 1 of my Barred Rocks (the big one with the nice comb and wattles who used to be top of the flock) seems to HATE this cold weather (and so has seemingly fallen off the pedestal of top hen). Is it possible for an individual hen to not tolerate cold as well as others of the same breed? She has been less active and not at all excited about treats the last 3 days.

They are all 8 months old. First thing this morning she ate the oatmeal I provided, but then spends the day moving very little, feathers fluffed. I watched her stand there and tuck her head into her feathers like she was going to sleep right after leaving the coop and eating some oats. She won't even move to eat peanuts if I throw them into the run. She "looks" healthy and is drinking water. She isn't standing on one leg. She isn't molting like one of my others (seriously...why molt in this weather???).

When I go down and sit with them in the run, she gets on my lap or stands close to me fluffed up and stays there until I leave. I feel so bad leaving, lol, as she seems to be using me as a heater.

I hesitate to bring her into the garage as such a move seems stressful for them, but I'm wondering if I need to do that for her. It is set to be -8 later this week and windy, though they are protected from the wind, but still, -8 sucks.

I'm a first timer, so any advice would be great. I'm tired of losing sleep over it, so bring on the advice! And thank you! I appreciate this forum!

One of mine is acting like that too... I guess some tolerate it better than others! It sounds like she is doing well for those temps! You may want to put petroleum jelly or vaseline on her comb and wattles. It prevents frostbite. Keep an eye on her and see how she does!

 

[Ccort]

It was 0 degrees this morning in northern IL and 1 of my Barred Rocks (the big one with the nice comb and wattles who used to be top of the flock) seems to HATE this cold weather (and so has seemingly fallen off the pedestal of top hen). Is it possible for an individual hen to not tolerate cold as well as others of the same breed? She has been less active and not at all excited about treats the last 3 days.

They are all 8 months old. First thing this morning she ate the oatmeal I provided, but then spends the day moving very little, feathers fluffed. I watched her stand there and tuck her head into her feathers like she was going to sleep right after leaving the coop and eating some oats. She won't even move to eat peanuts if I throw them into the run. She "looks" healthy and is drinking water. She isn't standing on one leg. She isn't molting like one of my others (seriously...why molt in this weather???).

When I go down and sit with them in the run, she gets on my lap or stands close to me fluffed up and stays there until I leave. I feel so bad leaving, lol, as she seems to be using me as a heater.

I hesitate to bring her into the garage as such a move seems stressful for them, but I'm wondering if I need to do that for her. It is set to be -8 later this week and windy, though they are protected from the wind, but still, -8 sucks.

I'm a first timer, so any advice would be great. I'm tired of losing sleep over it, so bring on the advice! And thank you! I appreciate this forum!

I have two acting like this so am wondering the same thing. Watching this thread.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

@ChickensoftheHill Sorry for the late reply! I hope your girl is dealing with the temps okay...

She could just be having a hard time adjusting to the temps, but it's always a good idea to check for signs of illness. Check eyes and nose for any bubbles or discharge and her comb for color. Look for facial swelling or wheezing, sneezing and coughing. Also check how her crop is functioning: it should be full at night when she goes to roost and empty first thing in the morning. Also feel her breast bone to see if she seems skinny (you can compare with your other hens if unsure). Finally check the base of her feathers near her vent and under her wings for signs of lice or mites. Some mites don't actually live on the birds so it's not a bad idea to go out with a flashlight sometimes to check the roost at night. If there is a bad infestation you will see mites crawling along the roost bars to go feed on the chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

Is she skinny?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is it possible for an individual hen to not tolerate cold as well as others of the same breed? She has been less active and not at all excited about treats the last 3 days.

They are all 8 months old. First thing this morning she ate the oatmeal I provided, but then spends the day moving very little, feathers fluffed.

She "looks" healthy and is drinking water.

What do you normally feed including treats?
When was her last egg?

Check to see if her crop is emptying overnight and look her over for lice/mites.

 

[ChickensoftheHill]

I ended up having to consult a vet after 5 days of no food and only water that I syringe fed her. She got a shot of antibiotics and slept hard that night and has gradually returned to normal! She's good to go back out to the coop tomorrow when it's a little warmer here. The vet (who has raised chickens herself for over 30 years) couldn't find any physical signs of a serious problem so our only other guess after doing all the tricks was antibiotic, which seems to have worked. Thank you all for your tips! I love this website!

 

[Ccort]

I ended up having to consult a vet after 5 days of no food and only water that I syringe fed her. She got a shot of antibiotics and slept hard that night and has gradually returned to normal! She's good to go back out to the coop tomorrow when it's a little warmer here. The vet (who has raised chickens herself for over 30 years) couldn't find any physical signs of a serious problem so our only other guess after doing all the tricks was antibiotic, which seems to have worked. Thank you all for your tips! I love this website!

I'm glad she's doing better and you've taken care of her!