AAHHHHH molting has started.

[City Farmer Jim]

As prepared as we thought we were for molting...its still scary. We have our first molt in progress a 15 month ago silver laced Wyandotte...she's NOT the pretty girl she was Monday. Her temperament hasn't changed and she definitely doesn't want to be handled. Her breast is all but bare when I managed to pick her up. Her voice and voicing her displeasure has a different tone...not all out painful wale but definitely different than normal. We have 3 more her age and 5 that are 9 months old.

 

[sourland]

She'll be fine.

 

[Mrs. K]

Does it look like a pillow exploded in the chicken house. With my first one, I opened the coop and thought I had something die from a predator attack.

Don't pick them up, they are tender.

Mrs K

 

[City Farmer Jim]

Does it look like a pillow exploded in the chicken house. With my first one, I opened the coop and thought I had something die from a predator attack.

Don't pick them up, they are tender.

Mrs K

The only reason I picked her up was to be positive that she was molting and not a predator attack. We lost her breed sister to a predator attack 3 months ago...I took her in the house as it's dark by 5:30 now to check her over. The second her feet hit the kitchen island...the feathers flew...EVERYWHERE ...won't make that mistake again.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

She'll be fine.

What in your opinion is to cold for molting chickens to be in...its low 40's to upper 30's at night. We deep litter and she would have plenty of room to nestle down in the coop in the pine shavings.

 

[sourland]

Keep the coop dry and draft free, and she will be fine at those temperatures. In my experience late molters tend to refeather rapidly.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

I know I read it somewhere but can't seem to find it. Any "special" feed needed for molting? My local feed store has a 20% layer crumble that we normally feed them now.

 

[aart]

The second her feet hit the kitchen island...the feathers flew...EVERYWHERE ...won't make that mistake again.

Sorry...but....

I know I read it somewhere but can't seem to find it. Any "special" feed needed for molting? My local feed store has a 20% layer crumble that we normally feed them now.

That will be fine.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

I didn't think it was so funny at the time....but now I think about it..its hilarious. Holding her she was calm and not trying to get away...minute I shifted her to put her down and she touched the counter she must have thought she was going in the pot..she wasn't having ANY of that and tried to escape...feathers flew EVERYWHERE. Not sure who was more surprised..me or her. One of those life lessons I don't plan to repeat.

 

[aart]

I have seen them get in a scuffle of just get up and shake themselves and see the feathers fly,
it is rather alarming.