Wait, they’re what? Molting? What the heck is molting and why is it happening while I’m tracking egg production vs. the cost of their feed?
After a little research (the internet is truly an amazing invention), I feel a lot better. However, I am still looking forward to them looking and feeling better so we can eat some more of those glorious eggs on a regular basis!
Here are some facts:
- Chickens usually molt every year, but some chickens molt every two years
- Molting is the process of shedding and replacing their feathers and generally takes 6-8 weeks (though some chickens are quick at 3 weeks and some are slow at up to 12 weeks)
- They generally start this process when the days get shorter, and therefore colder (silly ladies)
- You know they’re molting when they…
- stop producing eggs (or slow way down, our egg production has been cut to about a third of what it was a couple of weeks ago)
- loose a lot of their feathers
- quiet down or become much louder
- don’t want to be touched/become quite crabby
- eat like horses
- drink like fish
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| Notice the Lady on the end…she’s probably our worst right now. Poor girl! |
- They will need some extra protein while molting which you can give them in a high protein (16% ish) feed and/or by supplementing their feed with…
- sunflower seeds
- bugs
- cooked eggs (scrambled or boiled and mashed up…weird, I know, but true)
- peas
- canned tuna or salmon
- cottage cheese
- dry cat food
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| Yummy mixture of peas and mashed boiled eggs :-/ |
So, while I’m patiently waiting for the ladies to grow back some of those feathers and start producing more than one or two sad eggs a day, I’ll be trying to remind myself that 1) This is normal 2) I’d be pissed if I was losing all my hair, too!
How are your chickens doing? Do you do anything special for your ladies while they are molting?
Linking up to Homestead Barn Hop #36
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We have a flock of around 200 who all went into molt at the same time, as a result of reduced daylight caused by the relentless and heavy rains we experienced in our region this summer. They still haven’t fully recovered. How do I know that the daylight was reduced to under 11 hours? Simple: all of the sweet potatoes are merrily blooming; which they are not known to do in America, because they require the daylight hours to be less than 11 hours to bloom. Hens need 12-14 hours of light to lay.
Laura – Are the pink combs a sign they’re fixing to start molting? I didn’t know that! Thank you! My two Newbies aren’t molting, but the older five are either in full swing or getting started (they’re all 1 1/2 years old).
Jaime – You’re welcome! I keep forgetting to crush up their egg shells and give them back to them! I have a whole bowl full sitting under the kitchen sink!
Meredith – You’re welcome! I haven’t tried it yet, but I plan to 🙂
I didn’t know that I could give them dry cat food to help them along – thanks for the tip!
How timely! I just posted about giving milk to chickens during molting. Apparently the extra calcium helps them, since they need more than usual when replacing their pin feathers, I believe. I guess this is also why they stop laying eggs, to reserve their calcium stores. I didn’t know about the extra protein, though, so thanks for mentioning that.
-Jaime
Hahha, I know, my girls are very grumpy. Only one is visibly molting but a number have pink combs, so I figure they are on the way, too. They are less than a year, so I was surprised. I’ve mixed my own scratch, which is heavy in black oil sunflower seeds. They also get a 20% layer ration and lots of kitchen scraps.
You’re welcome! Poor ladies, I feel so bad for them!
One of ours is molting too. I’m glad to learn about the protein and water thing. Thanks for doing the research and posting it.