🧥🐔 Do Ex-Commercial Hens Really Need Hen Coats?

When you bring home your first ex-commercial hens, it’s not unusual for them to look a little scruffy. Patchy feathers, bare bottoms, and a slightly bedraggled vibe—it’s all part of their rescue-chic look. Naturally, lots of new adopters wonder: “Should I pop a little coat on her, especially now it’s getting chilly?”

The short answer: Nope! Leave the catwalk coats to the fashion hens of Instagram.
Your girls are much better off without them.

❌ Why Hen Coats Aren’t a Good Idea

While it feels kind to wrap your featherless ladies up, coats can actually do more harm than good. Here’s why:

🔥 Hens are built-in heaters

Chickens are clever. In cold weather, they simply eat more to generate extra body heat. A coat can actually interfere with this natural system.

💦 Wet coats = sad hens

Knitted or fabric coats soak up rain like a sponge. That leaves your poor hen damp, cold, and stressed—exactly the opposite of what you were aiming for.

🪶 They slow down feather regrowth

As feathers regrow, hens develop “pin feathers”—sensitive little quills that can bleed if rubbed. A coat brushing against them can cause pain and delay the whole feather-up process.

🌿 Snag hazards galore

Once your hens rediscover the joy of scratching, dust bathing, and squeezing through fence gaps, a coat just becomes one big snagging risk.

🛁 No spa time!

Preening and dust bathing aren’t just fun—they’re essential for parasite control and feather health. A coat restricts this natural self-care routine.

🥰 How to Help Your Hens Through Winter

Instead of dressing them up, focus on the basics:

• 🏠 A cosy, draught-free coop

• 🥦 High-quality, protein-rich feed

• 🧼 Clean, dry bedding

• 🐔 Plenty of space to explore and scratch

With a little TLC, your girls will start sprouting new feathers before you know it. In just a few weeks, those patchy ex-commercial hens often transform into glossy, proud ladies strutting about like they own the place.

✨ Final Cluck: Hen coats might look cute, but your ex-commercial hens don’t need them. What they really need is warmth, good food, and patience. Before long, they’ll feather up naturally—and you’ll get the joy of watching their glow-up unfold.