How long does moulting take?

[showbizombie]

My 4 egg layers all stopped laying at the same time, and after eliminating all other reasons, I realised they started moulting (SOO MANY FEATHERS EVERYWHEREEEE)
But it's been going on for a month already and the feather loss seems to have stopped, but still no new eggs. 2 of the hens spend a lot of time roosting but still go out and free range for a bit each day.

Approximately how long does it take for the moulting period to finish? I'd like some tasty eggs please!

extra info: It's summer here, plenty of sun. They have shell grit available and were dusted for mites etc, so I'm pretty sure its the moulting alone.

 

[DMRippy]

I am wanting to know the same thing. My girls have not laid in about 2 months. All their feathers seem to be back now so I am hoping soon. I think I read it will not be till the Solstice this month.

If my pullets would start that would pick up the slack

 

[oldorchardfarms]

Make sure your feeding them laying mash, and with it being summer idk what it could be but what type of nesting boxs do you have and if they are going out free ranging check around your yard very closly, they like to lay where it would be hard to find i have to look everyday if my girls are out and usally find several eggs "just laying" around. good luck

 

[showbizombie]

No eggs around the yard thankfully (I remember in the past, a gardener found an egg almost a year after the hens were relocated. It exploded on touch, worst smell EVER) and they are fed a laying mix.
The hens abandoned the nesting boxes after the first few weeks and adopted a wheelbarrow full of straw where all 4 of them roost in (the younger non-layers sleep elsewhere) and they were laying in that for a few months

 

[Ukiah]

Welcome to BYC!

Anywhere from 3-5 months. My birds started molting in september, and and just now getting their
feathers back. They still have little pens on their head.

You may give a bit of cat food to help speed the molt and help with feather growth. Maybe a handful here
and there. Don't overdue it.

Good luck

 

[Fierlin1182]

Hey

Summer here too, and the chooks haven't even started to molt yet... although that might be something to do with the breed. If you want year-round eggs, look into sex links - that's what we have, and they don't stop, even during the winter. I don't think they even molt until they're three years old, none of mine did.

Hope the eggs start coming again soon!

 

[Christie Loves Silkies]

My birds started to molt in late July/early August and by September they were laying again but still molting but not as bad.