Your Thoughts & Advice?

[KikiDeAnime]

So for the next couple days, its going to get around mid to low 30s at night and we have a couple of molting hens. 2 of them have it worst! Our 2 black sex links are almost naked without their beautiful feathers.

Everyone seems to huddle up with each other during the night but what could I do to make it warmer for our molting hens?

I put fresh hay in there every 2-3 days for them to sleep on.
Their current coop isn't big enough for perches.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They need roosts so they aren't sitting in their own poop all night. I have molting hens too. Lows have been in the single digits to teens. 30's isn't that cold they will be a bit cold but fine. Generally they sit closer to others on the roosts at night, so get your birds some roosts asap.

 

[aart]

Our flock coop is bigger than that.

Pics of said coop, inside and out?
You asked for thoughts and advice,
and need to be open to suggestions and willing to offer more info.
Roosts don't have to be 3' high, just getting them up off the floor can help...
.....and if you show us the coop we may have a solution for adding a roost.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They will be okay. You shouldn't need to keep them warm, they will keep themselves warm.

No one means to annoy you with their advice. Everyone means well, sorry it's coming off that way.

 

[chickens really]

Hello..Everyone is just trying to help..
Is this a prefab Coop/Run...
As long as the bedding doesn't freeze to the butts of the Birds they will be fine.
My Husband has a saying..What came first the Chicken or the egg?...He always says the Coop..

 

[Mrs. K]

Truthfully I think I would elevate them if possible. Even if you have to get creative. Maybe a diagonal perch from one corner to another. Reason: chickens defecate all night, if they are elevated, the poop falls away from them. Otherwise they are sitting in it, and it makes them wet and cold.

Perches will keep your birds cleaner and drier, both very important in cold weather.

As for the molting, bare birds, I would not worry about it unless they are showing signs such not moving, not eating, hunched in a corner. If they are active, bright eyed, eating and drinking well, they are doing just fine.

Mrs K

 

[Farmgirl1878]

When my birds were little, I used some scrap 4”x4” posts and a 2”x4” to make a short roost. It was only a couple of inches high, but they loved it. I did the same thing for in the “juvie jail” coop for a recalcitrant roo, but his was higher. If you have some scraps, you might be able to make a roost that would fit in the coop.

 

[Ridgerunner]

People often suggest that you put bedding in a coop when you move chicks there from a brooder so they can snuggle down and keep themselves warm. Until they start to roost chicks, whether with a broody hen or by themselves, sleep on the floor. Some adults, some silkies for example that can't fly come to mind, never roost but sleep on the floor. Some silkies do roost but some don't. Naked Necks (Turken) are considered a cold hardy breed. They have no feathers on their necks and about half the feathers on their bodies that regular chickens have.

I see no problems with your molting birds sleeping on the coop floor in those temperatures, though I'd want some bedding under them to insulate them. I see no problems with chickens that are molting roosting in those temps as long as they have good ventilation but no direct breeze blowing on them.

 

[Compost King]

Mid to low 30's isn't too bad, however I have never had a molting bird in those temps. I actually never notice their molting I just notice I am getting less eggs. I am guessing that the Black Oil Sunflower Seeds and high supply of protein rich worms that are available to most of my chickens has a lot to do with me not noticing feather loss. However that is a prevention thing and you have a current issue now that needs to be dealt with. I would suggest pictures of the birds so people with experience in dealing with such issues know the extent of the missing feathers. When I am in doubt with temps and chickens I add a heat lamp. Not sure if that is an option for you. In most cases coops are a bit warmer than the outside air and if you have no drafts then you should be in good shape.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

They need roosts so they aren't sitting in their own poop all night. I have molting hens too. Lows have been in the single digits to teens. 30's isn't that cold they will be a bit cold but fine. Generally they sit closer to others on the roosts at night, so get your birds some roosts asap.

As soon as we have time, we'll be building their future coop that will have roosts.
As I said in the post, their current coop isn't big enough.