Is it pecking or molting?

[DivaHick]

We bought year and half old pullets from craig's list, and these are our first chickens. We have a coop that's 8x4 rectangle. Now, each chicken has a bald spot (or two) on it. How can you tell if it's molting or pecking? And if it's pecking, is it too late to make them stop?

Also, it's day 3 at our house, day one we got 3 eggs, and day two we got three eggs, but nothing so far today. Don't know if that helps people figure it out.

Megan

 

[Southernbelle]

Congratulations on your new chickens! They're so much fun and

If they just moved, they're probably a little stressed. When my birds moult, I don't usually see bald spots, just feathers everywhere. When they're picking, I see bald spots. Give them something to do to occupy themselves - spread scratch in the bedding or hang a cabbage for them to peck at.

Egg laying will probably slow down or stop for a while after a change in their environment. Often they'll lay at first because those eggs were already "in the chute." Give them about 2 weeks to really start laying again. Although, in fall and winter egg laying really slows down anyway, so try not to get frustrated.

 

[cmom]

I agree with the other post. 1 to 1-1/2 could be molting but probably pecking. Watch them for awhile and see if you can catch them pecking. You are lucky if you have been getting any eggs as sometimes that stop laying altogether for awhile after a move.

 

[DivaHick]

Yeah I wasn't complaining about the lack of eggage, was really just for info sake. I heard that putting vinegar in their water helps stop the pecking.

Yeah, our chickens are entirely too smart. We put golf balls in the nesting boxes so they get that that's the new nesting boxes... yeah our chickens pushed the golf balls out and moved them to where they want to nest. Unfortunately it's part of the coop that we can not reach right now!