Do you replace your hens when they start to molt?

[Chicken Paradise]

I was wondering, since it takes 3-5 months to molt (so the web says)
if your hens are not pets, do you keep them or eat them when this happens? Does their laying really slow down after they resume laying?
Thanks

 

[speckledhen]

Molts do not usually take that long. And most of my girls do continue to lay through at least part of the molt. I am not a commercial operation and I will keep them till they are too old to lay at all. A well cared for hen in great health can lay for years and years, though at a reduced rate.

 

[glassparman]

My laying hens are for eggs and pets. I will not replace them just because of a molt.

The molt will vary and could be fairly short if you add extra daylight (around 14 hours total) and some extra heat.

Mine did about 30 days this year but still layed a few eggs here and there during the molt.

I think a molt is actually good for them as they get better looking when the new feathers come in.

Michael

 

[dancingbear]

No way. They have the first molt before they reach peak egg laying age. The eggs get bigger the 2nd year, they don't start to slow down until about 3-4 years old. I have 6 year old hens that still lay!

Commercial operations do that because they buy point of lay hens, and replace as soon as they slow down for that first molt. They don't want to lose any production time. It's shame that the business is so competitive that the hens are treated pretty much like disposable machine parts.

It's not practical for a home flock.

 

[cmom]

I agree with the other posts. All birds molt. It's just shedding old feathers and replacing them with new ones. Some molts can be heavier than others and they may still lay but at a reduced rate. Some do stop laying while they are molting. They generally molt around once a year.

 

[OrpObsessed]

At what age do the first start to molt?

 

[Sash Ranch]

I'm curious about age, too. I have two who are starting to lose feathers on their necks and the more I read, I think it may be molting. They are only 8 months old, though....seems too young?

 

[OrpObsessed]

I'm curious about age, too.  I have two who are starting to lose feathers on their necks and the more I read, I think it may be molting.  They are only 8 months old, though....seems too young?

Yeah the reason I am asking is that several of mine aren't molting yet and they're over a year old?

 

[aart]

I'm curious about age, too. I have two who are starting to lose feathers on their necks and the more I read, I think it may be molting. They are only 8 months old, though....seems too young?

Yeah the reason I am asking is that several of mine aren't molting yet and they're over a year old?

This is a really old thread.....try out the advanced search function here:
advanced search>titles only>molting
Lots of info here, best way to find it is advanced search.

 

[OrpObsessed]

Ok thanks!