Too cold for molting hens???

[8 Chicks 1967]

let me take a shot...EE,legbar and a RIR mix? they should be ok in those temps. Bringing them inside would only hurt their chances. Chickens if use to the weather really only suffer in -15 to -20. I've seen coops banked in snow at -30 and only a heater to keep their water from freezing. The other poster is right I only put an apron on my hens if it's pre-molt due to to over breeding. While in molt an apron can damage pin feathers.

 

[VeggieGoneEggie]

let me take a shot...EE,legbar and a RIR mix? they should be ok in those temps. Bringing them inside would only hurt their chances. Chicken if use to the weather really only suffer in -15 to -20. I've seen coops banked in snow at -30 and only a heater to keep their water from freezing.

Pretty good eye! From left to right in both photos, they are (as sold to me) an EE, a Rhodebar, and a Cream Legbar. ... and I’m not actually sure if the Rhodebar is an imported purebred, or a RIR-Legbar mix... I kinda think the latter, because I got her on discount because she lays a green egg and was being removed from the breeding program

Named them Beatrix, Vernita, and O-Ren: my “Deadly Viper Death Squawk”. (An internet high five to anyone who gets the theme without researching )

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

here is a picture of an apron...but only use them as protection pre-Molt..

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

Pretty good eye! From left to right in both photos, they are (as sold to me) an EE, a Rhodebar, and a Cream Legbar.

Named them Beatrix, Vernita, and O-Ren: my “Deadly Viper Death Squawk”. (An internet high five to anyone who gets the theme without researching )

Nice hens...they are not done by any means..take care of them and they will be pretty girls in the spring.

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

Pretty good eye! From left to right in both photos, they are (as sold to me) an EE, a Rhodebar, and a Cream Legbar. ... and I’m not actually sure if the Rhodebar is an imported purebred, or a RIR-Legbar mix... I kinda think the latter, because I got her on discount because she lays a green egg and was being removed from the breeding program

Named them Beatrix, Vernita, and O-Ren: my “Deadly Viper Death Squawk”. (An internet high five to anyone who gets the theme without researching )

yeah, everyone wants the "Sky Blue egg". I get it ..just enjoy your girls. They will look much better soon. Mine is over and i'm back to enjoying a few eggs.

 

[VeggieGoneEggie]

Pretty good eye! From left to right in both photos, they are (as sold to me) an EE, a Rhodebar, and a Cream Legbar.

Named them Beatrix, Vernita, and O-Ren: my “Deadly Viper Death Squawk”. (An internet high five to anyone who gets the theme without researching )

yeah, everyone wants the "Sky Blue egg". I get it ..just enjoy your girls. They will look much better soon. Mine is over and i'm back to enjoying a few eggs.

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Aw, look at your pretty girls! Your EE is gorgeous! I love that light buff/wheaten color.

Apparently, Rhodebars are supposed to lay light brown/tinted eggs. https://poultrykeeper.com/chicken-breeds/rhodebar-chickens/

Yeah, I really don’t care about the eggs - I just love taking care of chickens, think they’re wonderful, fascinating, hilarious creatures. My dogs and chickens eat more eggs than I do.

 

[amanda1]

Thanks for this post. I'm worried about mine too. My Austrolorpe has bare shoulders now, as she just started a heavy molt a couple of weeks ago. I also have a few others who are still regrowing feathers. I have no electric in the coop, and husband won't allow them in the house, so I have been concerned about our temps in the low 20's.

 

[VeggieGoneEggie]

Thanks for this post. I'm worried about mine too. My Austrolorpe has bare shoulders now, as she just started a heavy molt a couple of weeks ago. I also have a few others who are still regrowing feathers. I have no electric in the coop, and husband won't allow them in the house, so I have been concerned about our temps in the low 20's.

Right?!? We're experiencing lows in the 20s now, and a couple nights it went into the teens. Like, I couldn't imagine sleeping out there with bare skin!! But I guess I'm not as resilient as a chicken.

Vernita's (the rhodebar) back pin feathers have finally started to grow in! A good sign, and I'm going to cool it a bit on the protein now so my girls don't OD on mealworms.

 

[VeggieGoneEggie]

Just wanted to share a quick update.

Pardon the flash, girls, but I’m just too excited! Two weeks after first introduction, and the 3 new girls have staked their claim on a (lower) roost in the coop with my original 6! (They were previously roosting in the run, which I wrapped in plastic sheeting to try to reduce drafts so they would stay warm, as I mentioned).

I still wouldn’t say they are “integrated”. My OG 6 are top of the pecking order, in and out of the coop. In the morning, I find the OG 6 in the run, clanging their beaks on the hardware cloth like prisoners on prison bars upset that I haven’t let them out yet, and the new girls claiming sanctuary up on the roosts (I hope they ocassionally come down for food/water but I’m not sure). Once I open the run for them all the free range all day, the 3 new ladies keep their distance and are easily chased away from food.

But this is a start... Cohabitation! Minimal tolerance! Woo hoo!