Forced Molting? Any Body Done This? Opinions?

[deb1]

Last week I bought three hens from my neighbor who purchased them from someone else. I thought that it was strange that it was so early in the year but the original owner claimed his hens were in molt.

Last night my neighbor talked to our neighbor about the origins of these hens.

The original owner had denied them any food except a little crack corn. He thought it would be bad for the hens to lay in the heat of summer so he purposely made them molt early.

This struck me as bizarre. Do any of you have any information on forced molting? It seems cruel but maybe I am just uninformed.

No, I am not planning on forcing my chickens to molt. I thought I would write that so no one thinks that I am asking this question with a thought to try it. I am just curious.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some commercial egg producers will sometimes force a molt. Part of it is that a hen's most productive days are after the first molt after they start laying and I think the eggs are bigger too. I saw a mention at one of the extension service/university sites to not try this unless you talk to an expert about it.

The commercial producers have maximizing egg production down to a science. Of course, it's how they make a living.

 

[deb1]

That makes sense. I want my own eggs so that I can be assured that my chickens are treated humanely. Copying the practices of the big guys would be conterproductive to my overall goals.

Did the original owner have a point in thinking that his chickens shouldn't lay eggs during the heat? I would think that if the birds couldn't handle the heat then they would be physically unable to lay eggs anyway.

I have the girls on layer pellets and occasional treats, so I am hoping that they resume laying.

From what I understand, the original owner thought his hens were laying too many eggs.

 

[speckledhen]

The birds should have their natural rhythms and be fed properly at all times, IMO. Forcing a molt to me seems rather cruel, especially for a backyard flock situation. They naturally slow down in extreme heat anyway.

 

[Barnyard]

Well call my chickens "early birds" but they are all molting right now

It sure ain't because I forced a molt with them either. I go through atleast 100 lbs of layer and 50 of starter a week.....

 

[M To The Maxx]

Quote:
I agree with speckledhen.

 

[M To The Maxx]

Quote:
Mine are too!!!

 

[speckledhen]

Some of mine are and many have already molted. Poor Glenda was naked necked for literally months and she's just now getting enough feathers to cover her head, neck and behind.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree with the general sentiment here that our small flocks should molt naturally and not be forced. I don't depend on mine for an income however. If I did I'd very likely feel differently.

Try to remember that different people have different reasons to keep chickens. If hens naturally slow down laying in the heat and really slow down during a molt, I can see the logic in combining the two. And since chickens normally molt once a yeat anyway, does it really matter if they molt in the summer or the fall? I personally don't fault anyone for trying to be more efficient, especially when I'm not sure it actually hurts the chickens health.

 

[deb1]

I don't know if the original owner was forcing molt due to efficiency or just because he thought that laying eggs in heat was bad for his chickens. The way our neighbor made it sound(he knows the guy, we do not) the man thought it was more healthy for his birds to go into an artificial molt when it got very hot.

I am not trying to pass judgment on anyone doing this. I know too little about this situation to condemn the man. It just seems unnecessary to do this.

Either way, my new flock is being fed very well. No extended periods of hunger for the girls now.

I only want them to lay for my own table, after all.