For the new folks that haven't experienced a molt yet.

[Robeenop]

I do feed my entire flock high quality feed year round The only thing I change is WHAT they get for the season. .
Winter WHOLE corn, fresh greens, warm oatmeal, and sunflower and safflower. Hearts. Mealworms year round.
Summer whole oats no corn. Fresh fruits and veggies. Scrambled egg, and melon. Plenty of Junebugs as a treat.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Diannastar - not true. My flocks get 20% feed year round. The higher protein feed won't keep them from going through a hard molt.

I have some birds that you have to look real hard to see that they are molting, some that molt more in stages, and a couple every year that go through a hard molt. Some patterns look worse when molting.

My birds are neither starved or in poor health. I have breeder flocks, as well as mutts, but they are all healthy and are the proper weight for their breeds. They get scraps on the side as well.

Birds are individuals, and just like they mature at different rates, they molt at different rates too.

 

[Robeenop]

I agree they are gonna molt, period. My flock is healthy and spoiled. Implying that I don't feed them good quality feed, is just wrong.

 

[Robeenop]

I had an aqantance, that has hanfull of chickens. New to chickens.. Hers were molting and she thought they had mites and rubbed them all down with sevin dust.. She is getting NO eggs. I am afraid she might have done harm to her birds. Education is the key. She asked how I learned so much? I told her my family has raised poultry for over 50 years, and I did tons of research, before I got my flock. And I never stop learning.

 

[PenelopeRose]

I noticed that my molting hen isn't flying around or jumping out of the window of her coop (she now takes the ramp). It makes sense that chickens would have a hard time flying if missing critical feathers...is this true?

 

[aart]

I noticed that my molting hen isn't flying around or jumping out of the window of her coop (she now takes the ramp). It makes sense that chickens would have a hard time flying if missing critical feathers...is this true?

Yes, and they often don't feel so great when molting so can be just plain less active.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I had an aqantance, that has hanfull of chickens. New to chickens.. Hers were molting and she thought they had mites and rubbed them all down with sevin dust.. She is getting NO eggs. I am afraid she might have done harm to her birds. Education is the key. She asked how I learned so much? I told her my family has raised poultry for over 50 years, and I did tons of research, before I got my flock. And I never stop learning.

There is no harm in dusting the birds and chickens do stop laying when they molt and/or when the days get shorter in winter.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Yep.

 

[Robeenop]

She is using de going forward. I want no chemicals on or around my flock. All natural as organic as I can get. Her too.

 

[aart]

She is using de going forward. I want no chemicals on or around my flock. All natural as organic as I can get. Her too.

Sevin never really goes away......DE won't kill off an infestation and is not guaranteed as a preventative either.