Black Australorps....Burned out or Preparing to Molt

[dirtsaver]

Calling for help from Australorp (hatchery birds) people! Do Australorps burn out in a year to 18 months or are they starting into a molt? We got our Aussies back in the spring of last year. They started laying around 21 weeks and laid an average of 5 eggs a week per bird up until a month ago. We now are getting maybe an egg a day from our 6 Aussies combined and sometimes we find an egg on the poop board(sometimes a shell-less one). Our new girls(3 Speckled Sussex,2 Welsumers and 2 Buff Bramhas) have been laying 8 weeks now and are giving an average of 5 eggs a day combined.

They all are eating Layena crumbles free-choice and free-ranging in the backyard most every day and get limited treats.

The Australorps are looking really ratty and dull and have never gone through a full molt.

So.....do they burn out this quick,are they starting to molt or is there maybe some other problem we've overlooked? I will say the Layena crumbles,which has worked well for us for a long time,now seems to have an excess of dust in it(maybe5-10 pounds per bag)and we are beginning to question the quality but this springs additions to the flock are all fat,sassy and shiny.

Any thoughts or similar experiences anyone?

 

[CMV]

They are getting ready to molt. They still have a long time of good laying ahead of them. They may slow down slightly in frequency, but they make up for it in egg size.

Good luck.

 

[bgelber]

It is probably a combination of molt and weather change. I have a 3 year old Aussie that still lays, not every day mind you but a couple of times a week.

 

[dirtsaver]

Thanks CMV and bgelber ! We were thinking it was kind of late in the season to molt,what with winter coming on but they sure do need new feathers! Looks like I need to double-check the coop for drafts. Don't need any frozen half-naked chickens!

 

[BasicallyHeather]

I have four BAs, and I would agree with the above posters! Mine still haven't laid *or* gone through their first molt, but everything I have read lines right up with how your girls are acting. They just do everything in their own time, I am finding out!

 

[bgelber]

Quote:
Half naked chickens, my back yard looks like a couple of chickens exploited but it's just from molting.

 

[CMV]

Quote:
Yeah, my yard is looking like some sort of demented pillow fight took place. Chickens, ducks, goose... Egads!