Molt after hatchings???

[This_chicks_place]

Hello everyone. I have 4- almost three week old chicks, hatched out by our broody mama- a lavender orp. This is our first time with a broody. She has lost TONS of feathers this week. Is is normal for a broody mama to molt or loose so many feathers after her hatch? There are so many in the run it looks like someone broke open a down pillow!

 

[This_chicks_place]

I have the answer for anyone who might have been interested............as far as my hen is concerned, she apparently did have a mini molt three weeks after hatching her chicks. Her feathers all seem to be growing in nicely. Not sure if that had anything to do with her broodiness or if it was just her scheduled time. I guess no one else has ever had this happen.

 

[Chick pea]

Hi there,
I've just read your message about your broody moulting. I am also a first time broody mum. Our Sussex hen has 3 chicks almost 3 weeks old & has also gone into a big moult. Every evening I spend ages getting all the feathers out of the broody pen. It was good to see someone else has had this happen. My theory is, that because the mum hasn't been eating too well while sitting on the eggs it has sent her into a moult.

I'm sure I read somewhere that some farmers feed a restricted diet for a few weeks to their laying hens to bring on a moult to start them laying again. All the best with the chicks!

 

[This_chicks_place]

Hi there,
I've just read your message about your broody moulting. I am also a first time broody mum. Our Sussex hen has 3 chicks almost 3 weeks old & has also gone into a big moult. Every evening I spend ages getting all the feathers out of the broody pen. It was good to see someone else has had this happen. My theory is, that because the mum hasn't been eating too well while sitting on the eggs it has sent her into a moult.

I'm sure I read somewhere that some farmers feed a restricted diet for a few weeks to their laying hens to bring on a moult to start them laying again. All the best with the chicks!

Thank you for the reply. My chicks are doing great! Unfortunately......I think 3 out of the 4 are roosters.

I hope yours are all doing great also.

 

[Chick pea]

Hi,
I think one of my Wyandotte chicks is a rooster. It doesn't have any tail feathers yet but the other two chickscdo. I read on here that the roos develop later. He also has thicker legs than the other one & a different shaped head. He also stands more erect. The other Wyandotte has a single comb starting. I thought it was supposed to be a rose comb! I was so hoping they'd be pullets. I read on here that the Wyandotte roos crow really loud so I'll never be able to keep him

. The neighbours will not be impressed! Sorry to hear so many of yours are roos. Can you keep any?

All the best

 

[This_chicks_place]

Sorry to hear about your rooster. It does sound like thats a rooster for sure!. We have a wonderful Buff orpington rooster so we will not be keeping the spares that hatched. We gave our broody some Araucana eggs to hatch because I was hoping for some blue eggs in the basket. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that I'm wrong but it doesn't look that way..

P.S. sometimes Wyandottes will have single combs, although Rose combs are the standard. Good luck with those chickens!