returning healed chicken to the unheated ooop in winter temps from 30 to 10 degrees

[debra rice]

I brought a sick/injured adult chicken into the house @ 5 days ago. Prior she had been ill for a few days w loose stool, sluggishness, I fed her fermented foods, she was on the mend, then I found her on the floor of the coop. and I don't know if she fell off the roost, got hypothermic, or what, but one wing was spread out, her legs and feet were curled up in a ball and her tiny comb was grey. Her feathers were wet under neath her. I brought her into the house, washed her, dried her, She has recovered well, is in a kennel in the house @ 60 degrees. I put out towels on the floor and she walks around, is eating well now, and starting to feel feisty. My husband opinion is that she is in for the winter, due to the difference in temp between house and coop. I would like to see her back with the flock in the coop. I think she would be happier. It is cold here today, about 10 degrees, our temps fluctuate between 35 above to 20 below. I do not heat the coop and none of my chickens will go outdoors once there is snowfall, which is now. Any advice on reaclimateing her to the unheated coop? This group of 6 hens has not picked on each other before, I hope they won't start when she returns.

 

[Judy]

It's possible that there is something wrong that isn't going to go away, and she won't tolerate going back outside well, more because she is ill than because of the change in temp. I would think if she is fully healthy that she would tolerate the cold, since she was living in it less than a week ago.