Hen going through a hard molt....

[Barnyard]

I have a BO hen that is going through a terrible molt, I will post a pic later. I need to know if there is anything special that I need to feed her during her molt to keep her healthy. They have access to laying mesh 24-7. They get table scraps almost everyday, they get to free range "some" not all day but a couple of hours in the afternoon's. I give them blackoil sunflower seeds everyday as a treat (right now I am out). Is there anything extra that I need to be doing right now. Thanks in advance for your help.


Yes, before anyone ask's I am sure she is molting. She looks soooooo bad though. Her knew feather's are just now starting to come back. How long does it normally take to come through a molt, 2 months?

 

[warren]

My 3 year old hen is moulting. She was looking so poorly about a month ago that I thought that she was dying. I think it makes them feel really unwell.
I helped mine by encouraging her to eat her favourite food - sunflower hearts - from my hand. She is improving now but is much more timid than she used to be.
She looks very scruffy but there are new feathers underneath the remaining old ones.
I hope your hen is soon feeling much better. Best wishes.

 

[Barnyard]

I wasn't sure what it was to begin with either. But I picked her up one day to check her over really good and you would have thought that I was plucking her. There was feather's everywhere. Poor thing. She is kinda dragging a little. I am glad that your girl is starting to get better..... Thankyou

 

[warren]

I wasn't sure either as this is the first time I have had a moulting hen. She started by not eating and doing very wet poops. Then I had two enormous eggs and after that she stopped laying. When the feathers started dropping out I realised what it was. She also became much quieter. Mine is an isa brown.
I think it is the time of year for moult here in the UK. The days are shorter and it is about 40-60F.

 

[OHChick]

mine are too, a couple of them are bald as baby bottoms. i had read extra protein helps during a molt, so i have been giving them tuna fish. it's a big hit.