Molting and Egglaying

[beachchickie]

I have another Q. My girls have not molted they are 11 mos and 5mos. When should I look for the first molt and I heard their eggs get bigger after the first molt. True or False.

 

[chickletranch]

I don't think that's true. They say that late moulters (hens who moult 12-14 months after first laying) are better layers.

Our birds all moult at different times, but usually once a year. Some moult more slowly than others.

 

[SewingDiva]

Our oldest girls molted at 12 months and stopped laying for the most part for almost 2 months. They are back on line now and their eggs are the same size, although we did get a double-yoked whopper the size of a dinosauer egg as the first one after the molt.

Phyllis

P.S. One of them had been picked almost naked by a (now deceased due to a hwak) member of the flock and all of her feathers still grew back. You'd never know she ever looked as bad as she did (and it was real bad) between the picked feathers and the molt.

 

[kelidei]

My 11 month olds are finishing a molt and the ones that are laying again are producing larger eggs--- some of them are jumbo sized! It is really easy for me to tell because I have a bunch of 6 month olds that have recently started laying (last month)... the older girl's eggs are HUGE compared to the others.

 

[beachchickie]

That is what I have heard but was not sure. I guess I will see shortly since 2 of my girls are almost 12 mos old. Oh how I hate to lose eggs for 2 whole months.