23 month old bantams moulting?

[dixiechik44]

I have four 23 month old Mille Fleur bantams that seem to be moulting. There are feathers everywhere and they haven't laid a single egg since a week ago. Should I be worried? Should I be feeding them more calcium?
We are going to a show beginning of October. Will they be finished by then?

Thank you!

p.s the show is the Fraser Valley winter show!

 

[satay]

Sounds like they are moulting. They will be fine. You could give them some canned tuna which is high in protein to help with the moult.

 

[BantamLover21]

Yes, it does sound as if they are molting. Most chickens molt completely for the first time when they are about 1 1/2 years of age, so yours waited a rather long time. Molting birds usually stop laying, drop feathers rapidly, and may become more lethargic. This is nothing to worry about; just make sure they eat and drink, and perhaps supplement their diet with high protein foods (mealworms, black oil sunflower seeds, wet cat food, tuna, etc.) to help them grow in their feathers quickly.

When exactly in October is your show? Chickens generally grow in new feathers within a month. They look awful for a few weeks, and then slowly get better-looking. Your chickens might not be in top condition (at least the males won't--it takes longer for roosters to grow in their long tail feathers) at the show, but they should still be showable.