Is "fluffed upnormal during a hard molt ?

[aart]

Do you think it would help her to just do All Flock during the molt since the protein is higher?

Yes.

Does that still sound like too much for the treats?

Yes.
Really they don't need any 'treats', nutritious or not.
Especially 3 times a day.
Their feed has all they need.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

My flock of now 18 gets, at best, one cup of scratch per day, if they don't get other treats. With fruit or veggies, it varied based on what I have. Sometimes it's the seed and rind from a melon or squash. Sometimes it's a whole cabbage, or maybe just some carrot ends and peels. It never amounts to much. In the summer they may get the tomatoes and cucumbers the chipmunks nibble on. They even go a few days without treats. I only give scratch when it's going to be in the single digits or colder, and unless its really hot in the summer and I freeze fruit just for them, their treats consist of what would have otherwise gone in the compost.

Wow! Okay. That sounds like I'm way overfeeding them with treats. I'll cut back on the volume. But I assume I should keep up with the high protein treast during the molt, right?

 

[MissE]

Wow! Okay. That sounds like I'm way overfeeding them with treats. I'll cut back on the volume. But I assume I should keep up with the high protein treast during the molt, right?

If you're going to give them treats, high protein is better. Hearing what they've been getting, just cutting out the treats may get them to eat enough of their regular feed and help with the molting.

Side story- Mine were in a pretty heavy molt this fall. Its was raining, cold, windy, and gross out. They were all standing in the door of their coop, wet and mad and cold. I spent an hour getting soaked to the bone gathering night crawlers from the driveway for them. Do you think they appreciated it? Sure, for two minutes, then they went back to thinking it was my fault the weather sucked. Morel or the story- so long as they have a full food dish, they really won't care if you bring them treats.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

Yes.



Yes.
Really they don't need any 'treats', nutritious or not.
Especially 3 times a day.
Their feed has all they need.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm cutting back on the treats.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

If you're going to give them treats, high protein is better. Hearing what they've been getting, just cutting out the treats may get them to eat enough of their regular feed and help with the molting.

Side story- Mine were in a pretty heavy molt this fall. Its was raining, cold, windy, and gross out. They were all standing in the door of their coop, wet and mad and cold. I spent an hour getting soaked to the bone gathering night crawlers from the driveway for them. Do you think they appreciated it? Sure, for two minutes, then they went back to thinking it was my fault the weather sucked. Morel or the story- so long as they have a full food dish, they really won't care if you bring them treats.

My chickens are a bunch of ingrates, too, haha! And they also blame me for bad weather. Thanks for sharing the story. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only crazy chicken person who goes worm hunting for their girls.

I guess I fell into this habit of giving all the treats a couple months ago when my girls went from free ranging all day to being contained all day because of a jerk Cooper's Hawk that started stalking them, and was not deterred by my presense or my dogs'. He doesn't come around quite as often so now I get them out when I'm not working (before work, lunch, after work - hence the 3x a day routine) and can supervise. I do need treats to lure them back in to the run, but I will certainly cut back on the volume of those snacks so they're eating more of their feed.

 

[aart]

I guess I fell into this habit of giving all the treats

I have a bad snacking habit myself.

No need to let them range 3x a day.
Maybe just at the end of the day so urge to roost gets them back to the coop?