How old are these hens?

[DaisyBuff]

Whew, they look like adult hens in very bad condition.
Combs are large, just flopped over.
Looks like they are in the middle of an unsuccessful molt.

I agree with you. Hopefully when they come out of their molting session they will look a bit better. I have hens with floped over combs and they are adults so VIkStinu must have molting chickens.

 

[VlkStinu]

I agree with you. Hopefully when they come out of their molting session they will look a bit better. I have hens with floped over combs and they are adults so VIkStinu must have molting chickens.

I was wondering about the combs, because they might seem big on the pictures, but other hens are I believe of the same breed and their combs and wattles are huge compared to those of two hens - take these two for instance.

 

[LaFleche]

Combs and wattles will shrink during moult and get much paler, so nothing to worry about. Soon they will start to regrow and regain nice red colouring.

They seem to have overcome the most hurtful stage of hard moulting by now, as these pinfeathers hurt them with ever move or touch, which is also why they shrink away from each other and seem skittish in their attempt to prevent any contact.

 

[DaisyBuff]

I was wondering about the combs, because they might seem big on the pictures, but other hens are I believe of the same breed and their combs and wattles are huge compared to those of two hens - take these two for instance.

Hmm......They could be about 5 months my Rhode Island reds looked a bit like that around 5 months.

 

[Daisycar]

Oh, they are doing great!

Yes!!! They're doing more than great!
I'm so happy they had the opportunity to live a life worth living.
All thanks to you!

 

[sourland]

Well they are 'spent' production birds so most likely a minimum of 1.5/2 years old. Poor things were a mess, but you are doing a great job with them. Sized and flopped comb is normal as they most likely have leghorn DNA in the mix. You are doing a great job on getting them back to good health.

 

[aart]

Sized and flopped comb is normal as they most likely have leghorn DNA in the mix.

Yes...and maybe a different percentage of LH why some combs are smaller thus more upright.

 

[VlkStinu]

Combs and wattles will shrink during moult and get much paler, so nothing to worry about. Soon they will start to regrow and regain nice red colouring.

They seem to have overcome the most hurtful stage of hard moulting by now, as these pinfeathers hurt them with ever move or touch, which is also why they shrink away from each other and seem skittish in their attempt to prevent any contact.

Oh really? I wasn't aware that combs and wattles change this way during molt, that's great to know! I am looking forward to seeing them all red and bigger then!

And regarding the pins - that's new to me as well, I wasn't aware it's such a painful process for them. It explains why these two hens are especially avoidant when it comes to any touch, whereas the other ones who don't molt this extensively are much more ok with it. Thank you for that information!

 

[VlkStinu]

Yes!!! They're doing more than great!
I'm so happy they had the opportunity to live a life worth living.
All thanks to you!

Thank you very much for your words, it made my day!
I am so happy to see them being themselves, going about their daily business, watching them each day. It fills my heart with joy.

 

[VlkStinu]

Well they are 'spent' production birds so most likely a minimum of 1.5/2 years old. Poor things were a mess, but you are doing a great job with them. Sized and flopped comb is normal as they most likely have leghorn DNA in the mix. You are doing a great job on getting them back to good health.

I think they were advertised as 1 year and a few months old - but it just seemed unusual to me to see such differences between them, not only in the comb and wattle size, but also in the size of the body in general. But I imagine there won't be any large age differences in those commercial productions.

Thank you for encouraging words!