Do "feather fixer" feeds really work to make chickens molt faster?

[Danny188]

I have been getting a dozen eggs from my 21 hens for at least 3 months and it's getting ridiculous is there anything I can give them to help them regrow their feathers faster? Will chick feed or feather fixer feed work better than normal feed while they are melting? My chickens are only a year old so 12 eggs a day doesn't seem to hot when I was averaging 18-19 in the fall.

Edit: they also have a very large range I had to use about 240' of fencing.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Feather fixer works because it has more protein. You can just feed a higher protein ration. A non medicated starter grower or an All Flock ration. Provide a separate bowl of oyster shells for the calcium needs.

Egg production goes up and down throughout the season. Some take breaks. They don't lay constantly usually.

They may also be laying somewhere else.

 

[Folly's place]

I looked at Feather Fixer when it came out, and it does look better than the standard layer type feeds. However, Flock Raiser by Purina is even better and also less expensive, with oyster shell in a separate feeder.
Layer feeds are meant for smaller birds (Leghorn types) in confinement, fed nothing else. Not so much for our typical larger free ranging heritage birds.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

I do think that my birds get through their molt more gracefully than the birds belonging to a friend, same breeds, who feeds Layena. Actual scores done, no, but she has some pretty naked birds sometimes, and I don't.
Mary

 

[aart]

I have been getting a dozen eggs from my 21 hens for at least 3 months and it's getting ridiculous is there anything I can give them to help them regrow their feathers faster? Will chick feed or feather fixer feed work better than normal feed while they are melting? My chickens are only a year old so 12 eggs a day doesn't seem to hot when I was averaging 18-19 in the fall.
Edit: they also have a very large range I had to use about 240' of fencing.

They shouldn't be molting yet, not until after August or so.
Not sure why you think they are.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

My bet is that your birds are laying out in their range area.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

and it does look better than the standard layer type feeds.

Yes, because 18% protein....but still 3-4% calcium.
...but it certainly won't 'fix' feathers.<grumblesatmarketingploys>

 

[Danny188]

They shouldn't be molting yet, not until after August or so.
Not sure why you think they are.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

My bet is that your birds are laying out in their range area.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.


Yes, because 18% protein....but still 3-4% calcium.
...but it certainly won't 'fix' feathers.<grumblesatmarketingploys>

One of them has lost all its feathers on the front of its neck and others are losing feathers on their backs, they might be molting becuse I was giving them artificial light so they were getting 13 hours of light in the winter then I stopped it for the spring and they started getting 11-12 hours of light.

Edit: they are losing feathers on their wings too and they all look pretty scrappy.

 

[Danny188]

They shouldn't be molting yet, not until after August or so.
Not sure why you think they are.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

My bet is that your birds are laying out in their range area.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.


Yes, because 18% protein....but still 3-4% calcium.
...but it certainly won't 'fix' feathers.<grumblesatmarketingploys>

I am feeding nutreana country feeds 16% protein and I am giving them 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound per day for each chicken some days they have a tad left some there is none left depends on if it was raining and they couldn't forage and what not. And they are best box trained not very many places they could lay whenever I have their fence in the grass but when I move it to the weedy area they can "hide" eggs but I doubt it I might find one egg on the floor in a two month time span.

 

[aart]

One of them has lost all its feathers on the front of its neck and others are losing feathers on their backs, they might be molting becuse I was giving them artificial light so they were getting 13 hours of light in the winter then I stopped it for the spring and they started getting 11-12 hours of light.

Edit: they are losing feathers on their wings too and they all look pretty scrappy.

Ahhh...that might have been my next question.
That change in 'daylight' hours can certainly trigger a molt,
and stymie egg laying.
When did you stop the lighting?

 

[Danny188]

Ahhh...that might have been my next question.
That change in 'daylight' hours can certainly trigger a molt,
and stymie egg laying.
When did you stop the lighting?

Hmm I'll have to think about that one, it was about 13-15 weeks ago. I did get 16 eggs yesterday and 14 the day before and they are looking less scrappy than last week It must have just been a soft molt for most of them except the one that lost a lot of its neck feathers.