Chickens may look fashionable or cute in a sweater but there are many reasons why it's a bad idea.
Sweaters will make your chickens actually colder
Chickens regulate their body temp by fluffing up their feathers. Feathers trap pockets of air in the downy layers of their under-feathers, which insulates them quite well.
When you put a sweater on a chicken they can't fluff their feathers any longer, so they actually feel colder.
Sweaters are a great place for lice and mites to hide
Unfortunately, lice and mites are a common pest of poultry, we strive to keep them pest free but a sweater undermines our hard work and gives the nasty critters a nice hiding place
Sweaters harbor germs
A sweater on your bird will pick up bits of bedding, poop, and germs.
Sweaters and pin feathers don't mix
Sweaters interfere with feather growth and is an ideal way to catch new feathers or pinfeathers and cause pain.
Sweaters don't allow your birds to dust bathe
Chickens love to take dust baths, it's how they stay clean and control lice and mites. A sweater won't allow them to dust bathe,
Sweaters are a colorful attractant for predators
Cute and colorful sweaters make your chicken more visible to predators like hawks and raccoons for instance. Why make them easier an easy target?
Just skip the sweaters
If you're looking for ways to keep your chickens warm there are other ways.
- Minimize drafts in the coop
- Keep them well fed
- Use the deep litter method
- Keep your coop well ventilated
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