Rooster ripped hen's skin right off (Graphic imagery)

[My1stChickens]

Thank you Mountain Roost and Coach. Today it's in the low 80s and they are out. Tonight's low is 31. I'm going to leave her in her cage in the coop, but have set up an LED flat panel heater for her. She can lay by it, but she can also get away from it. The temperature inside the coop (at ground level) today is 87, and humidity 31%. Not bad, and I suspect that the ground will hold heat for a while. I'm going to put a pile of hay in one corner of the cage for her, and another pile of hay on the other side of the kennel wall, in case her peers want to snuggle down. (I'm a realist, if anything they'll just scatter the hay) The LED panel heater is big enough that it will provide warmth for the corner of the kennel AND the hay pile outside the kennel if they all want some heat. 31 does not worry me all that much.
Tomorrow, high of 46, with some wind (16 mph, not horrible). I figure I'll let them out, but bald girl will continue to have the North side of her kennel blocked so she won't be in the wind. I'll watch to see how the others are doing; if needed I'll find something to set up a true windbreak for the 5 month olds (The 8 month olds have a windbreak) I figure being out when it's sunny and above freezing is better than being confined. Tomorrow night, low of 25 so will rely on the LED heater but use a bit higher setting. Tuesday should be good-- sunny, high of 54, low of 32. So maybe heater at night, on low setting. This should be enough precaution against frostbite for the bald girl. But I will be checking floor level inside coop temp tomorrow morning and again in the late afternoon to see how much warmer coop is staying than the outside temps. If it appears low of 25 could be a risk, I can pivot and bring her into the horse barn or the house before it drops below 35ish, then back out once temps are back up to 35 or better. It will be away from her friends, but for less than 12 hours.
Have I missed anything or does this seem reasonable?

 

[coach723]

Seems good to me. I would be much more concerned with long term temperature drops. I play this game all winter with my donkey, how cold and how long it's cold (and if it's wet or dry), to decide whether to blanket him or not (he doesn't mind his blanket and will come to get it!), if it's a short term drop I often don't because if I get out late to take the blanket off he'll get sweaty.

 

[My1stChickens]

Seems good to me. I would be much more concerned with long term temperature drops. I play this game all winter with my donkey, how cold and how long it's cold (and if it's wet or dry), to decide whether to blanket him or not (he doesn't mind his blanket and will come to get it!), if it's a short term drop I often don't because if I get out late to take the blanket off he'll get sweaty.

These will be cold nights, but really only for a few hours. Its just a dramatic change from lows in the 60's.
I spent years figuring out how to keep my horses toasty warm and dry- they each had a set, light sheet, light blanket, heavy blanket, lightweight waterproof turn out, and heavyweight waterproof turn out for below freezing. (plus spares of most of these, for when one had to be washed). Then I insulated the barn and had to re-learn how warm it stayed. Of course I was the one would would literally get up in the middle of the night if that's when a cold snap blew in!

Winds picked up to about 40mph suddenly this afternoon and temps dropped 15 degrees in 15 minutes. I decided to bring them in early. they did not cooperate. If video'ed it would go viral. But they are all locked down, all eating and getting drinks before it gets dark enough that they consider truly settling in.

Miss Baldy was unsettled and pacing every time I checked on her today. She is most unhappy to be in her kennel. Her head was little warm yesterday but not today. It feels a little gritty when I apply the ointment. I may try to clean it with a warm wet cloth once temps moderate, but til then I just slather on the Neosporin. All the chickens seem interested in the hay. Nibbling on it but they've not destroyed the piles yet. It's too soon to see if they choose to lay on it.