Is it usual for the girls to lose their appetite while molting?

[Carolyn252]

I've got 8 chickens. They barely look at their bedtime treat of a little bit of scratch grains. Whereas they used to make a mad dash for it and scarf it all down in five minutes flat. Now that they are molting, they've even cut way down on eating their Purina Layena regular food. They're lively and healthy looking; poops look normal; seem to be enjoying their hours of free ranging in the shrubs and on the grass and dustbathing. They'll show some interest in eating the fresh kale and chard that I toss to them, but are not going crazy to get at it like they normally would.

Bedtime bowl of moistened Farmers Ultra Kibble (32% protein) gets eaten, but it may take two days for it to be all gone. They stopped laying completely about 2 weeks ago.

 

[ThePRfan]

Well molting makes hens uncomfortable to the point they don't even lay.They may be tired or full.Maybe that's why they won't eat.They may even be stressed.My hen was molted and lost A LOT of feathers.She still ate.Now just because mines did that means nothing for yours.I'd look up,or make sure there are no diseases or even stressed hens.