MOLTING ATTACK! HELP- Now there is blood! what to do??

[will hunt for food]

This is a good example of why you need space in a coop. More room makes for a healthier flock. Extra room to get away from an aggressor is vital.

That said, my chickens also changed personality during a molt. It also seems like forever since the molting/molted birds gave us any eggs.

 

[will hunt for food]

This is a good example of why you need space in a coop. More room makes for a healthier flock. Extra room to get away from an aggressor is vital.

That said, my chickens also changed personality during a molt. It also seems like forever since the molting/molted birds gave us any eggs.

 

[ihvpower]

cOMET,

They usually start to Moult in early Fall. They should be fine by Winter.

 

[GoldenCometLover]

ihvpower - thanks you sooo much! I was worried - thought I'd have to find some hen sweaters

or something to keep them warm during the winter!! NY is pretty cold! Thanks again!

 

[windchime73]

I'm so glad to see this thread! I came looking this am because Quack (my black sex link) has lost most her feathers. I thought the girls either had some weird 'bug' or hopefully they were just molting. I glad to see that it's molt! Do they all stop laying when one or more of the flock is molting?
Thanks!

 

[ihvpower]

Hen Sweaters..good one, Comet!

I have learned SO MUCH from this site, it's amazing!! I've been around here for a few years and I STILL haven't read through everything.

Nancy

 

[ihvpower]

Quote:
I'm pretty sure it is an individual thing. When a hen is molting, she will likely not lay or not lay as much but it would not have any effect on her non-molting sister hen.

 

[chick4chix]

Quote:
No- they don't all stop laying- I have one who is still laying (GLW) because she hasn't molted yet, but she must be getting ready to because she is only laying every two to three days instead of almost every day.

I kept the mean-hen isolated in the ark yesterday and today- I just "allowed" her out and fed the other girls treats "worms" in front of her and did not allow her to get close - when she would come in calmly I let her have a worm- if she "muscled" her way in I pushed her back and didn't let her have one. I thought perhaps I could take on the role of "head hen" and she would get the idea. The weird thing about this pecking order mix- up is she is on the bottom normally, and the normally head hen (SLW) is the one she is pecking. No one else is pecking her- just the one mean EE!

by the way... Will hunt for food- I do have plenty of room for them- they have a 8'x6' ark and another 20'x15' attached run- we live in San Diego so they can be outside most of the time. the mean hen- literally "hunts" down the molting chicken until she has her cornered even using the fence or nest boxes to get her. She even chased her up the ladder yesterday and trapped her there. When I went to let them down this morning- no one came down- meangirl was guarding the ladder from above.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone- I guess my question now is- will the pecking order go back to the way it was before the molt or will they be mixed up because this mean girl who thinks she is tops now, is not nice. When the rest of the flock was out by themselves it was a very peaceful experience (like it used to be before yesterday) as soon as I let mean-girl out this afternoon- they all raised their heads and were extremely wary of her- then the worst of the molters got attacked again-so in she went back into isolation. I don't know if this will rehabilitate her or not- Anyone who has done this and been successful -please fill me in???

 

[chick4chix]

Quote:
Your girls won't go into a full molt until next fall. My girls were hatched April 2009 and this is their first real molt.Before this it was only a feather once in awhile, now it looks like we opened several featherbeds outside- ha. Last fall they had just begun laying, so they laid through the fall and winter, but we live in San Diego so I didn't have to worry about snow.

 

[chickie momma di]

hi everyone. i also have what i believe are molting hens and they are not laying either but the other 3 are also not laying either. everyone was like clockwork until the molt. the only hen still laying is gracie mae. she just started laying again after raising puffy and has never had a full molt but has been broody at least 4 times in her 3 years of age. it was good to read this link cause i couldn't find evidence of lice or fighting or anything that should stop them from laying. they need to get back to work. store eggs just arent the same.