I am SO confused about chickens right now!

[gritsar]

I thought I had them pretty much figured out until now!
Every one of them is either in a molt or on the verge of one right now. None of them look that bad to me, but maybe because I am comparing the rest to Lil' Bit and she looks all ready for the broiler pan right now. She's next to naked!
There's feathers everywhere - in the coop, their yard, our yard!
The most eggs I've gotten in one day for the past week is three.

So I go out to the coop just now and find eight eggs! One on the ground in their dustbathing hole. That's from my girl in the dress. Apparently she's still a little confused.

Is it normal to get some eggs some of the time during molt?

They're driving me nuts!

(short drive!)

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Yup its that time of year for Naked chickens!!!

Sometimes they will continue to lay a few eggs. Some days I'm down to getting 5 eggs out of my hens and then they surprise me the next day with 10 or 12. That's out of 20 hens at the moment either having a heavy molt or a light one. Plus I have 5 broodys sitting on air that will not giveup!

 

[gritsar]

Thank you Tuff!

I still say you need to send those broodies to me. I've got enough eggs stored up I could give them something to do with themselves.

Now how do I get the girl in the dress to start using a nestbox again?

 

[first time farmer]

I was going to post the same question! lol Thanks for asking lol and thanks for answering

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
What question was that? The one about how to get a hen in a pink dress to lay in the nestboxes?

Sorry! I couldn't help myself.

 

[first time farmer]

Hahaha its ok it made me laugh

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Yep, chickens molt. Part of the great cycle - one we often forget about when we're dreaming of egg-a-day laying results.

Will they lay during the molt? Infrequently at best. However, those that do should be marked and held for possible breeding next year, especially if their molt is short-lived.

 

[gritsar]

Well out of 13 hens, I got 8 eggs today. Most seem to be replacing feathers as fast as they lose them; except Lil'Bit.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
You got a good flock, there. They's worth keeping.