Do your hens go off their usual feed when they moult?

[BigBlueHen53]

What a great question! My 2-yo Black Australorps had a very hard molt this year. One in particular I called Hurricane Hannah, poor thing. We switched them (gradually) to Feather Fixer from All-Flock as soon as they started going into molt, but they don't seem crazy about it. I have noticed a lot of them also seem reluctant to vie for treats (scratch and dried mealworms) in the afternoon, although they seem to want to. I think they're afraid of the jostling because it hurts. They just don't want anyone near them, though I do try to scatter the treats out enough to give them plenty of room. Hopefully they'll feather out soon and can get back to their chickeny lives.

 

[Sally PB]

My three 1-1/2 year old hens molted this year, at different times. I didn't notice them going off their feed, and they always came for afternoon snack. Now that they are feathered out, though, I do think they are eating more.

One thing I added was about 1/3 cup (for 7 birds) of calf manna. I mixed that with their food and made the usual mash for their afternoon snack with it. I did that 3-4 times a week. I'm doing it once or twice a week now.

 

[alwaystj9]

Mine rarely go off feed. I only had one hard molt this year, she was incredibly mean and stand-offish but continued eating and foraging. My chickens free range most dawns to dusk. I feed an egg-layer pellet supplemented with kitchen scraps, garden scraps and free-ranging with a horse and goats. Eggshell & oyster shell on the side. I have seen hens occasionally poking at the white salt, brown mineral and green selenium blocks from time to time, they also hit up the loose goat minerals infrequently. When I put out a protein pail for the goats the chickens love it and sometimes I have to limit their access.

 

[Iluveggers]

It might be breed dependent or hybrid dependent. I never feed below a 20% protein feed and have noticed that even the cinnamon queens, who are a hybrid only slow down to a couple of eggs a week in a severe molt instead of quitting and they never seem to lose weight. Which I attribute to a higher protein feed. If my feed store is ever out of 20% I will switch to a meat bird and I have been known to switch to a meat bird, 22% protein, if when molting they start to look skinny.

I have not ever noticed any of my birds not wanting to eat during molt.

What feed do you use? I’m thinking I’m keeping mine on starter/grower w oyster on the side when they start laying, since I can’t find an organic feed above 16…

 

[HiEverybirdy]

After 2 years of observing molts, I'll say ours don't go off their feed.

They get runny poop for about a week, take more naps and have a short fuse with other chickens for 1-2 weeks, and get pale/smaller combs for a few months. During the worst of the molt, it looks like they feel like we do with a fever: sore and achy.

Molts in our chickens have been lighter and more gradual in year 2, both for chickens in their 1st and 2nd molts. This past year, we changed their nutrition to 18-20% protein/minimum 0.4% methionine (up from 16-17% protein/0.3% methionine). Two Easter Eggers even laid regularly through most of their first molts. So, one hypothesis is that better nutrition resulted in a gentler molt.

I also worked this past year to lower stress by providing separate quarters for overzealous cockerels. Whether due to lowered stress, maturity, or long-term integrated pest management, the flock was also better at fending off our 2 biggest health issues in 2020: roundworms and northern fowl mites. Mites completely disappeared by spring 2021, and I haven't had to take poops to a vet for worm analysis in the past year. We're down to a prophylactic chemical deworming 3 times a year, with fresh garlic once a month in between, and mite powder in coop corners but not in direct contact with the birds themselves.

It's possible that lowered stress, parasite pressure, and chemical treatments may have helped reduce their molt severity as well.

Again, we're just 2 years in. In year 3, they may have severe molts, and I'll hypothesize it's all about the weather or the solar flares and moon cycles instead

 

[BDutch]

From late summer till mid winter there is one or are a few chickens that molt in my flock. Never severe molting. In molt most of them stop laying til after winter . For a couple of years I didn’t get eggs from november till spring. Except from one good layer.

Because we (Netherlands) have very little choice in feed and the layer for hens contains way too much calcium for not laying chickens , I buy a bag of chick feed in autumn to mix with the layer. And give more scratch and other feed during winter. They also get some extra mealworms snd insects for the needed protein’s

The amount of proteins in chicken feed in the Netherlands is way less than in the US. All layer feed contains approximately 15% protein and 3,5-4% calcium. I feed organic and this has 14,5% protein en 3,5 calcium.

The feed we can buy at the mill, in the pet shop or agricultural shop comes from the factories who supply to the commercial farms with laying hybrids that lay all year. About an egg each day. After 2 years these layers are exhausted because of all the production labour and the commercially optimised feed for the egg factories.

Thats why I think the feed they sell here is not healthy for most backyard chickens. If possible I let them free range to gather the fresh feed they really need to stay healthy.

 

[BDutch]

Last weekend I went to our town mill again (after a long time) . The mills core business is to grind organic wheat and other grains for (home) backers. They don’t produce chicken feed but are reseller of just one organic brand. Until 6 months ago they sold a brand my chickens and I didn’t like.
But now this mill sell’s another organic brand. I bought a bag with pellets for my bantams. At home I was surprised because the label says it contains just 0,4 grams calcium in one kilo. At first I was happy with It because my hens don’t lay any eggs right now. .
Most feed has about 4 grams calcium in a kilo. So this is extremely low. Now I doubt if the 0,4 is correct. I’m afraid the made a mistake in the label and in fact it is 4 grams in a kilo.

I wanted to send a message to the factory, to ask if the made a mistake, but they don’t have a website. The company is registered but I cant find an email address or telephone number

Question. If chickens get feed with too little calcium, will they eat more oyster shells and egg shells as soon as they start to lay again? Bc I think its the only way to find out if the label is true.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Question. If chickens get feed with too little calcium, will they eat more oyster shells and egg shells as soon as they start to lay again?

I would say yes. Chickens seem to know what they need. We feed an all-flock formula that does not contain calcium, and our laying hens help themselves to oyster shell as they need it. Non-laying birds (old, young, male) don't partake.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Mine don't stop eating, but I don't feed them only commercial feed so perhaps that is a factor. So far none of mine have had severe moults, axtually their moults have been pretty unremarkable and egg laying just reducing and not stopping. Although most of them are not yet 2 years old. The 4 that are over 2 haven't had dramatic moults at any point. Maybe because of what I feed? So hard to know. I do feed animal protein 3-5x a week all year round as part of their regular diet so this might be a factor.

 

[Shadrach]

Mine don't stop eating, but I don't feed them only commercial feed so perhaps that is a factor. So far none of mine have had severe moults, axtually their moults have been pretty unremarkable and egg laying just reducing and not stopping. Although most of them are not yet 2 years old. The 4 that are over 2 haven't had dramatic moults at any point. Maybe because of what I feed? So hard to know. I do feed animal protein 3-5x a week all year round as part of their regular diet so this might be a factor.

I think feeding animal protein may have some impact. It will be interesting to see what happens during their first major moult.