All my birds are now in various stages of hard molt except for a few hens tending small chicks. Hens are no longer moving about in tight groups with harem masters even though some are still in lay. Egg production has almost stopped with only about half a dozen now laying at all. Leg color is starting to come back as well. Real impact of all this is now that harems are busting up, birds are starting to move farther a field and interact with others they avoided since about February unless fighting. Two hens are also causing a headache by going off property with respect to roosting and where they stay most of the day. They come in to grab a little feed from feeding station and to have congigul visits with tied of stags. Eggs are being laid off property as well. They made shift in part because of better shade and likely much better forage. Neighbor may also be feeding them. Birds will be captured and penned today or tomorrow since I have interest in having neighbors complaining about their own front porch flocks.
