Illinois...

Molting just started and I've been debating on whether to go to a feather fixer or maybe a meatbird. Of course the babies are still on starter grower still with which the adults also help themselves to when they please.
What do you think?
how old are the chicks now? A bit of work but I used to corral off the chick food with small openings so the hens couldn't get to it, only the chicks could.
I don't bother with the feather fixer and just stay with all flock. There's plenty of protein. Even in layer food there is. You're not doing a disservice by passing on it, I can't help but get the feeling it's a little bit of good marketing on the part of the feed companies
 
Normally at 3 wks you can start to guess the gender of a serama. (They mature quickly.) By 4 weeks the males' combs have obvious pink & stand taller. Their combs also start to drop & turn pink.

So here's my 3.5 wk old: (Click image to enlarge)
IMG_9440.JPG IMG_9444.JPG IMG_9445.JPG IMG_9448.JPG IMG_9449.JPG IMG_9451.JPG

Is it another female??? I'm not seeing any wattles. Comb is not large - but not flat either. Wattles are very hard to spot - also pale- which is why I'm guessing female for now.

Here's an example of a male at 3.5 weeks:
IMG_8474.JPG IMG_8412.jpg
and at 4.5 weeks:
silkied serama.jpg


Tell me what gender you think this gray serama is.
 
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And here are the 3.5 wk old orps. So far all 3 could be female. My biggest ? is the lav because of the slow-grow feathering. Of course the last few times I based my guesses on that they turned out to be females anyway.

Black 1 - maybe female
IMG_9423.JPG IMG_9424.JPG


Lav - ????.... maybe female but I wouldn't be surprised if comb turns pink in the next week or 2. My orig guess was male at hatch but now ????
IMG_9429.JPG IMG_9433.JPG


Black 2 - definite female
IMG_9437.JPG IMG_9438.JPG
 
Do hens get pale faces and earlobes when molting? My Ebony doesnt look right to me.
View attachment 1898494
She is having a pretty bad molt so far.
Yes, they can. Mine can go pale when broody, molting, or over heated. As others have mentioned some protein may help her during molt.

Got a lot of molting here too.
This is Cookie's brooder. She's using her maternity leave to molt. At 1st I though she exploded. She only has 5 chicks & the cage was cleaned 2 days ago. All that black is her feathers!!!!
img_9421-jpg.1898840
 

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