2nd molt in 6 months?

[4Exploradores]

Hi community. Thanks in advance for your help.

In my flock of 7 hens, my two 17 month old Welsummer hens hard molted all summer long and had just begun laying again in late November when they both stopped laying again. They seem to be losing feathers again and their combs have grayed out again. (My Easter Egger also hard molted all summer and is laying every other day.)

I thought it was maybe just the change in weather/daylight hours, but the rest of the flock is all still laying regularly. It's just the Welsummers who aren't. So weird. On a side note, I've had the coop gently lit all season so they're getting about 13-14 hours of daylight.

Other than no eggs and gray combs, they seem perfectly normal. They're the alpha hens and are eating/behaving normally.

Any suggestions/advice? Should I be worried? Could they be egg-bound? Could they be sick? Is there an illness that is specific to Welsummers??

Thanks!

 

[JaeG]

I'd check for mites and lice, especially as it seems to have been going on all summer. They are a reason for feather loss and it may be that your Welsummers are more affected by them.

This is a good site to identify parasites if that is the problem. http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html

There are also depluming mites which are less common but something to look at given your situation. https://poultrykeeper.com/external-problems/depluming-mites/

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi community. Thanks in advance for your help.

In my flock of 7 hens, my two 17 month old Welsummer hens hard molted all summer long and had just begun laying again in late November when they both stopped laying again. They seem to be losing feathers again and their combs have grayed out again. (My Easter Egger also hard molted all summer and is laying every other day.)

I thought it was maybe just the change in weather/daylight hours, but the rest of the flock is all still laying regularly. It's just the Welsummers who aren't. So weird. On a side note, I've had the coop gently lit all season so they're getting about 13-14 hours of daylight.

Other than no eggs and gray combs, they seem perfectly normal. They're the alpha hens and are eating/behaving normally.

Any suggestions/advice? Should I be worried? Could they be egg-bound? Could they be sick? Is there an illness that is specific to Welsummers??

Thanks!

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Excellent advice already given regarding possible parasites.


I will say however, after raising more than a hundred birds... I've see a lot of things that aren't considered normal (I'm sure I have many more coming). Including a girl who mini molted at the beginning of spring under a year old and mini molted again that fall, despite the fact that I ensure my nutrition is not diminished and even better than many. Nutrition can be a factor.

Interesting that it's only the two Welsumer. Just for fun.. did you know that Welsumer are named after the town Welsum. The correct spelling would be with 1 m, like a person fro that town would be a Welsumer. However, both spelling are accepted, I believe.

OK, 1 more fyi just for fun... Did you also know that Marans, hail from the town of Marans and is ALWAYS said with the S at the end even if only speaking about 1 bird?

Depluming mites should cause some other visual indicators since they are microscopic and live inside the feather shaft. Can you post any pics so we can get a look as to what we are talking about? Such a pretty breed!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Could they be egg-bound?

NO. That is usually deadly within 48 hours and indicated by standing around penguin style or staying in the nest box and when removed tail pumping. Nothing normal about behavior, no eating and such.

A fecal float could rule out worms and make sure you treat the right ones IF needed.

Welsummer are a dual purpose breed and as such will do better with a little more protein than standard layer (18-20%). Feathers are made of 90% protein and the amino acids that make it up. Layer 16% protein and is the minimum needed to sustain light bodied layers like leghorn but also has 4 ish% calcium and is too much SOMETIMES for the kidneys in birds not laying, if fed long term (though I'm not hearing gout or kidney failure from you). What do you feed including treats and supplements?

 

[4Exploradores]

Thanks everyone! Here are Hermione (purple band and gray face) and Ginny this morning. I checked them all over at the base of their feather shafts and saw nothing but healthy looking feathers and skin. They both seem pretty healthy. Hermione pooped 1 second before I took a photo of her posterior, so it's a little messy back there. Ginny wouldn't stand for me taking any more glamor shots of her, but I got both their feet.

We have one other 17 month old (Minerva- an Easter Egger who is laying like a champ) and four 7 month olds who are all laying daily. So, our issue is limited to our two Welsummers. Maybe Welsummers are just more sensitive to the fewer daylight hours and I should increase the number of hours of artificial light or just wait until the days get longer?

They're getting Modesto Mills Organic Whole Grain layer (18% protein) plus oyster shell, grit, kitchen scraps (kale stems, apple peels, carrot tops, etc).

I'm stumped.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thanks everyone! Here are Hermione (purple band and gray face) and Ginny this morning. I checked them all over at the base of their feather shafts and saw nothing but healthy looking feathers and skin. They both seem pretty healthy. Hermione pooped 1 second before I took a photo of her posterior, so it's a little messy back there. Ginny wouldn't stand for me taking any more glamor shots of her, but I got both their feet.

We have one other 17 month old (Minerva- an Easter Egger who is laying like a champ) and four 7 month olds who are all laying daily. So, our issue is limited to our two Welsummers. Maybe Welsummers are just more sensitive to the fewer daylight hours and I should increase the number of hours of artificial light or just wait until the days get longer?

They're getting Modesto Mills Organic Whole Grain layer (18% protein) plus oyster shell, grit, kitchen scraps (kale stems, apple peels, carrot tops, etc).

I'm stumped.

Those girls look pretty good. That doesn't look like parasites to me at all. I wouldn't mess with light since we are already getting more. I also wouldn't get the breed again if you find this to be a problem. Are their eggs at least nice and dark when you do get them?

I did have 2 hatchery Welsumer early (last year).. both went to new home for various reasons before onset of lay. I'm at the Ca/Or border, 1 of the homes is a friend I still have contact with. And she is NOT impressed with the winter laying at all, just south of you in the bay area. I feel kind of bad, but I had no way of knowing. And my other breed pullets seem to be laying OK.