Do chickens molt this time of year?

[bruceha2000]

She's still alive at 5.5 years, was one of my better layers this year. Not bad for an EE.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm so happy to read that they can make it through a molt in negative degree weather. We just returned home from a trip and my oldest (2 1/2 yr) hen was looking really ragged. I thought for sure that the other 3 were picking on her while we were gone because they stayed locked in their coop and couldn't free range. So I just picked her up and put a saddle on her but then realized I think she's just having a hard molt. Since it's going to be super cold for a week or so (negative numbers at night), I'd like to leave the (fabric) saddle on her during that time and take it off when it warms up a bit. I'm hoping it doesn't rub her the wrong way, and actually helps hold her heat in.

Wow, I came on here today because I was concerned about one of our hens molting in the winter. We live in Colorado and it's been pretty cold the past few days. She looks so pitiful so was going to ask if she was molting or maybe sick. I will include a picture but looking at yours and reading the responses on the post I feel confident she will be okay. We too will be adding some vitamins and protein to her diet.View attachment 1220406

Glad that you both found this thread helpful - thank you @HenOnAJuneBug for starting it.
Just to clarify - yes, they can make it through a molt in cold weather as long as you keep watch on them, provide wind protection and see that they are eating/drinking. I will stress that I watch all my girls probably way too much, but especially my molters with the type of weather a lot of us are having. I check crops at night during this time - if I find they don't have full crop, then the next day, I make sure that evening before bed they get something extra (take the bird aside if needed) to get the crop fuller.

There is nothing wrong about being cautious. If you have a strong feeling that a bird needs extra care, shelter or needs to be pulled, then do it. Generally if they are healthy to begin with, then they should do just fine.

 

[bruceha2000]

Yep, a draft free living space is very important. NOT just for moulting chickens of course but ESPECIALLY for moulting chickens.

 

[orfan40]

Glad that you both found this thread helpful - thank you @HenOnAJuneBug for starting it.
Just to clarify - yes, they can make it through a molt in cold weather as long as you keep watch on them, provide wind protection and see that they are eating/drinking. I will stress that I watch all my girls probably way too much, but especially my molters with the type of weather a lot of us are having. I check crops at night during this time - if I find they don't have full crop, then the next day, I make sure that evening before bed they get something extra (take the bird aside if needed) to get the crop fuller.

There is nothing wrong about being cautious. If you have a strong feeling that a bird needs extra care, shelter or needs to be pulled, then do it. Generally if they are healthy to begin with, then they should do just fine.

Thanks for the information. Would a molting chicken maybe not eat as much as she should? I have a feeling that's not the case but I may try checking it today. She has seemed like she doesn't want to be touched during this stage. Quite often before this I could pick her up with no problem but lately she scuttles away a lot.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Thanks for the information. Would a molting chicken maybe not eat as much as she should? I have a feeling that's not the case but I may try checking it today. She has seemed like she doesn't want to be touched during this stage. Quite often before this I could pick her up with no problem but lately she scuttles away a lot.

From what I've seen, molting chickens don't have a ravenous appetite.

 

[bruceha2000]

I've never noticed a lack of eating in moulting birds. Seems like they could eat less if they aren't having to convert food into eggs. But they do need to convert it into feathers right? I don't do any scientific data gathering on feed/bird or weight, just egg laying. About the only thing I could do would be to weigh them. But then how do you account for some quantity of decrease due to feather loss??

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for the information. Would a molting chicken maybe not eat as much as she should? I have a feeling that's not the case but I may try checking it today. She has seemed like she doesn't want to be touched during this stage. Quite often before this I could pick her up with no problem but lately she scuttles away a lot.

Mine do seem to lose their appetite for regular feed. For instance Freeda my BR was soooo pitiful, she wanted nothing to do with eating her normal food and interacting with the flock. (I don't handle molting birds unless it is absolutely necessary). Anyway, she would eat some hard boiled egg and fresh greens everyday and I would see her at the feeder occasionally. I just made sure she was eating something - she seemed to crave the protein (egg) and greens. (I do feed 20%protein feed year round, but egg was what she wanted).

Now she has finished molting, I noticed within the last week or so, she's happily eating her normal food no problems. She's chatty and even started laying again. You just have to give them a little time and if needed, extra attention. This one always seems to have a rougher time than the others during molt.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I found out today that cat food is a good way to get protein into a chicken. Mine is 38% protein. She half-heartedly ate some eggs and mealworms this morning in the kitchen, but got really interested when she found the bowl of cat food. She started gobbling it up and making that little chirping sound of delight.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I found out today that cat food is a good way to get protein into a chicken. Mine is 38% protein. She half-heartedly ate some eggs and mealworms this morning in the kitchen, but got really interested when she found the bowl of cat food. She started gobbling it up and making that little chirping sound of delight.

Some people do provide cat food for additional protein. I always worry about salt content, but as long as she is eating some of her normal feed I think that would be fine short term - just my thoughts

(sometimes when they are that pitiful, it's a relief just to see them eat something)

 

[Trish1974]

After reading comments in this thread a few days ago I decided I was not going to bring in my molting Australorp during our polar surge. That changed yesterday when (at 9 degrees above zero) I noticed she just wasn't moving much, was standing on one leg shivering, and her wattles were severely dehydrated. She was having trouble keeping her eyes open - like she was on the verge of falling asleep. Poor girl is missing half her feathers and we were headed into daily highs of 0 and nightly lows of -15. What bothered me the most is I had been watching her water intake the past 2 days and it wasn't good. I put her in a dog crate in my utility room (I closed the vent to the room) and its currently 46 degrees in there. She looks so much better already. Definitely drinking and eating more. So keep a close eye on your girl and follow your gut feeling.