Couple of questions

[Larry in Hawaii]

In one run & coop we have 4 laying hens (sometimes that is) and a rooster and in the attached coop and run we have 18 hens about 12 weeks old. We are opening the run between the groups this week...they have been like that for nearly a month. When I would feed the young girls morning and night they would fight to get to the food....in the past week or more they just stand there looking around before the finally get over to the food bowl. Some will eat but not nearly as fast as they did in the past. Of course the big girls and rooster take their good old time eating. I have changed the food...still on chic starter for the young girls and grower for the adults ( I changed them from layer since all of them will soon be in the same run together). Just wondering why the young girls eating habit has changed so.

I also have noticed lots of feathers laying in the run from the youngins...but I haven't seen them fighting. I know they are trying to fly some but that's allot of feathers.

Thank You

 

[aart]

At 12 weeks they are going thru a juvenile mini 'molt'..... growing in new feathers and shedding the old ones.

Not sure about the change in feed consumption, but they should have feed available all the time.

 

[Larry in Hawaii]

Thanks for the information. I have always bought grown chickens and didn't get to see everything the young ones can go through