I suspect the EE is just toying with you!!! We have a Barnevelder that only laid an egg maybe once or twice a week in her first summer. Now she has finished her first moult she is laying nearly every day. My little suburban flock of four are nearly one year old - and we are having a Hen Party with good friends. "We" have had our first moulting, during our autumn (or "fall" to y'all). Here's what I learnt in my first moult experience:Wow - Debbie welcome back "with the flock". We missed you.
Kidney stones are no fun. I had them both times I was pregnant and I believe they
are worse than the labor I went through. didn't need to have them removed though
glad you are feeling better.
Of my three hens, only two are keeping our family in eggs. The EE gives us one olive egg a week
whether we want it or not.I can't believe what a slacker she is. We have had them
all since October. I thought she was just a slow bloomer, but come on. When she gives
an egg, it is perfectly normal. Doesn't seem to be any issue other than her being a tease.
We have checked our yard several times and nothing is hidden. She's lucky we enjoy her antics.
1. There are so many feathers in the run, you'd think a chicken was dead. Or split a pillow. None of mine looked even vaguely bald, so I know it can get worse. I still was gobsmacked by how many feathers are there each morning.
2. Moulting girls are CRANKY, crabby, grumpy, cantankerous, squabbly. I banned my husband from making snide remarks about ladies and their cycles, let alone the menopause but (just between us) he has a point!
3. I was lucky enough to have one, sweet, calm girl (Ladybird the RIR) not bother with a moult and just lay for us every day. Gotta love her.
4. Beetle the Australorp and Barnie the Barnevelder lost only a few feathers, mostly the small, fluffy ones around their butts. They didn't look naked till they bent over. Ladies, purrrrrlease, there may be children present...... These seemed fairly quick to return but it was still 5-6 weeks off the lay.
5. When their feathers are back and they decide it's time to lay again, they began to eat and drink like elephants. In hindsight they had lost theirn appetite gradually, with their feathers. I guess I didn't notice. Now they fall upon their breakfast mash like they have never seen food before. Drink, drink and drink again.
I'm loving the learning that comes with all the "firsts". We are only 3 weeks away from the shortest day here, so I am intrigued to see how that changes their behaviour again. Hopefully that will perk up Sylvia the Silver Campine, who had the worst moult by far. She completely lost her tail. All her feathers are regrown but her comb and wattle are still very pale and she remains so cranky the others are giving her a hard time. Whew! Who knew chicken-keeping was so variable and fantastic. Not me......
Best wishes to my egg-waiting buddies
Katrina
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