Illinois...

[Justso]

Yes some take forever to molt. Worse when they decide to start in Nov

Mine ALWAYS start in November!

 

[homeschoolin momma]

Yes some take forever to molt. Worse when they decide to start in Nov

Mine have already started.....

 

[Faraday40]

I can always come let her be broody at your house. Maybe take lessons from Cookie or Xansie.....

Be careful what you wish for:

 

[homeschoolin momma]

Be careful what you wish for:
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That top one is my favorite cookie monster picture!!

 

[BReeder!]

Oh How I love auto correct! It makes life a lot more interesting!

Not only do you have subterranean mammals with extraordinarily short life-spans, but you're getting eggs AND dairy from your chickens! What I really want now is a pic to go along with those milking chickens.





Anyway, molting varies about as much as chicken personalities. I had a Leghorn mix that slightly molted in patches so never went bald. She slowed down her egg production for about 8wks but didn't stop laying. I also had my sweet "Precious" who would go completely bald and looked like a porcupine.

Many of my hans start to molt in Sept/Oct and then don't lay again until Feb. (Unless there's supplemental light given) Some breeds can lay year round, but others (like my EE, CCL, Welsummer, & Spitzhauben) like to take the winter off.

Here was what poor Precious would go through:
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Princess was another one that had hard molts. She also usually molted in Dec/Jan. Poor girl!
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These two hens would drop most of their feathers over a couple days. We'd see a trail of blowing feathers behind them as they ran.
@chickendreams24 calls it "exploding chickens" = when you find a pile of feathers on the ground (but no predator) and some bald, scrawny birds in your coop.

edit to add: You can give them extra protein while molting to help them grow their feathers. There's also special feed called "feather fixer" which is supposed to help them through the molting process.

 

[BReeder!]

You can give them extra protein while molting to help them grow their feathers. There's also special feed called "feather fixer" which is supposed to help them through the molting process.

I have some Prince 40% protein poultry feed that we mix into the quail feed (with the use of our Ninja blender). I may stir a couple scoops into the chickens feed. Any idea what %protein I should aim for? If there's a target number, I'll work out a ratio with the two feeds - BTW, this is exactly what we do on a regular basis for our quail.

 

[Faraday40]

I have some Prince 40% protein poultry feed that we mix into the quail feed (with the use of our Ninja blender). I may stir a couple scoops into the chickens feed. Any idea what %protein I should aim for? If there's a target number, I'll work out a ratio with the two feeds - BTW, this is exactly what we do on a regular basis for our quail.

I aim for 18-19% protein. When they eat straight meatbird (21-22%) they get runny poop.

My quail & turkeys did great on Meatbird feed. I would feed the expensive gamebird for the 1st few weeks & then gradually switch to the cheaper store brand meatbird formula.

 

[NotAFarm]

I have some Prince 40% protein poultry feed that we mix into the quail feed (with the use of our Ninja blender). I may stir a couple scoops into the chickens feed. Any idea what %protein I should aim for? If there's a target number, I'll work out a ratio with the two feeds - BTW, this is exactly what we do on a regular basis for our quail.

Purina Gamebird Starter is 30 % protein. They recommend it until 6 weeks old.
Adult quail should get less than that but I'd keep it on the low to mid 20s.
I feed P gamebird to my chickens in the winter when their free ranging is limited. Bugs have a high protein level and that is what my flock is used to.

 

[BReeder!]

Purina Gamebird Starter is 30 % protein. They recommend it until 6 weeks old.
Adult quail should get less than that but I'd keep it on the low to mid 20s.
I feed P gamebird to my chickens in the winter when their free ranging is limited. Bugs have a high protein level and that is what my flock is used to.

The purina gamebird starter I can buy is medicated, which I don't like. So I mix purina gamebird layer with the prince 40% protein in a 2 to 1 ratio top achieve ~27% protein feed. It's been working very well for all of our quail.

 

[NotAFarm]

Hmmm...did you ask your Purina dealer about getting unmedicated?
I've never used medicated.