4 Month Molting Period

[gingernutranger]

Hi everyone,

My hens have stopped laying for about 4 months now and are still in a full blown molt. They are still loosing feathers like crazy, growing them back, then loose them again. Its a constant cycle that wont stop. We have increased the protein in the hens diets and are thinking of removing all roosters from the flocks and keeping them in an extra coop for a while. Do you think this could help or have any suggestions.

Thanks for the help,

Jeremy

 

[CMV]

That could help. I would also check them over for bugs. It is absolutely not normal for birds to be re-molting hot on the heels of molting. The one time that happened in my flock was as a result of a massive mite infestation.

What are you feeding them? Sometimes nutritional issues will lead to feather loss.

 

[ChicKat]

x2 CMV

There is a bug called depluming mite. Maybe a good dusting of the chickens and the coop (if it were me I would use DE). And plenty of access to a dust bath (can use a kitty littler tray) that has play sand, DE and if available some wood ash.

 

[gingernutranger]

Mites have always been a problem around here. Were right in the path of migrating birds and they are always making their ways into coops. I think I will try to buy some of that white powder and then there was another spray that was more for dogs but worked good on them too. It was in a blue container but cant remember the name.

Their runs are thick sand and dust because of this problem too so they can dust and are out all day into the gardens. They are getting fed Purina Layena, Scratch, and Oyster Shells.