Can molting bring stress to my ladies?

[5raven5]

My chickens have NOT started molting yet. They have been laying about a 13 months. Winter is coming. I am getting stressed.
What happens when the molt and it is cold outside? I live in Maine.

Chickens have their first molt when they are 18 months old so you don't have anything to worry about this year!!

 

[greenbeetle]

Chickens have their first molt when they are 18 months old so you don't have anything to worry about this year!!

I have chickens that are molting and they are less then a year old. Is this not normal then if they are not suppose to molt until they are 18 months old?

 

[5raven5]

I have chickens that are molting and they are less then a year old. Is this not normal then if they are not suppose to molt until they are 18 months old?

Are you sure they are molting? Read this article and see if any of these are a possibility. I am not the author of that website but the person who is has a wealth of information about chickens.
http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/09/feather-loss.html

 

[greenbeetle]

Are you sure they are molting? Read this article and see if any of these are a possibility. I am not the author of that website but the person who is has a wealth of information about chickens.
http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/09/feather-loss.html

Thanks, I will go there and read the article

 

[Chickmagnet9]

Doesn't it make more sense to let nature run its course, providing you are giving them a healthy diet and fresh water every day like you should be doing whether they are molting or not? People keep talking about how stressful it is but I think that's a human projection rather than just a natural thing that happens. To them it's normal, to us it's disturbing and ugly. Just my thought process.

 

[5raven5]

Doesn't it make more sense to let nature run its course, providing you are giving them a healthy diet and fresh water every day like you should be doing whether they are molting or not? People keep talking about how stressful it is but I think that's a human projection rather than just a natural thing that happens. To them it's normal, to us it's disturbing and ugly. Just my thought process.

I agree that it is a natural thing that happens for chickens, but if they were left to their own devices, roaming free in the wild, they would natually seek more protein in their diets and be less active. They also stop laying during that time as well because all of their resources are going towards producing new feathers. Since most chickens aren't roaming in the wild, it is up to us to supplement their diets during this yearly event. At least that is what I do and I believe my hens are better because of it.

 

[tweaverchick]

I mix a big batch of Black Oil Sunflower seeds, Animal Grade Brewers Yeast great source of protein, Henny Penny Millet, and Meal Worms, they love it! And it helps raise their protein levels fairly fast. After I have fed all of that (makes about a month I feed it to my girls in the morning once a day) I mix equal portions of their omega egg pellets, scratch, and feed corn (the larger than scratch kernels), a tub of quaker dry oats, and black oil sunflower seeds, in a large 5 gallon bucket cover it with water and three big glugs of MOTHER WITH BRAG (you can find it at the grocery store in the vinegar section its vinegar with amino acids) stir that around and I cover it with a dish towel and let it sit for 3 days. Most of the water gets sucked up by the mixture I give it another big stir and dish up for the girls it ends up the consitancy of oatmeal kinda mush like. I feed them this just in the morning and give regular omega egg pellets in my daily feeders for all the time eating and scratch in late afternoon in the free range area to encourage scratching around. This is very good for their digestion and they love it! I try and keep enough water in the bucket to keep about 1/2 of water on top of the mixture left in the bucket. You dont have to do all of these ingredients you might just pick adding the animal grade brewers yeast to their scratch or Black oil sunflower seeds are easy and very affordable. If you have any questions just ask I know I spoil my chickens but I have beautiful chickens with awesome deep orange yolks yum! Good luck it really will help to kick up their protein as all their energy is going into building new feathers the boost in protein will kick egg production too.

 

[4-H chicken gal]

what vet did you use

 

[song of joy]

During the molt, I switch to a higher-protein feed, such as Purina Flock Raiser (20% protein). To make up for the low calcium content of the flock raiser feed, I provide free-choice calcium (e.g., oyster shell).

 

[song of joy]

I have chickens that are molting and they are less then a year old. Is this not normal then if they are not suppose to molt until they are 18 months old?

They will molt a few times before getting their adult feathers. These feather replacements usually occur before they're 5 months old, but are not as noticeable as the molts seen in adult birds.