Molting chicken meaner than hell!! Whats up with that??? help!

[starchix]

You guys, this is so reassuring. I've been very worried about Hawkeye, my normally curious, perky Ameraucana. She is molting fairly drastically -- and refusing to budge from her perch on top of the nestboxes. She eats anything I set down in front of her, but is backed into the farthest corner and doesn't come down. I've been thinking she was cold or depressed or embarrassed or even that she couldn't fly because of feather loss -- now it sounds like she might be all of those, but also maybe uncomfortable. It does seem weird to me that chickens would molt when the temperatures are cold -- is the molt not triggered by weather? Some of my girls molted in late summer, but I have 2 that are molting now, as the nights go down to the high teens and low '20's F. Seems like bad timing. Thank goodness for this forum. And I think I'll make her some hard boiled eggs.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:

 

[furry]

I had read that chickens molt in the fall - that would make sense, growing a new set of feathers for winter insulation. Last year, my SLW's all had their first molt in the middle of December. I thought maybe it was because they were hatched in the late winter, and thought that subsequent molts would be earlier. Although one started molting in October, the others waited. Now, as we're approaching the shortest days of the year, I have a blizzard of feathers every morning in the coop. This just doesn't seem adaptive! They also seem to be eating less, even though they should be eating more to make new feathers. Last year I had to go out and buy them eggs because they had all stopped laying and the only thing they would eat was scrambled eggs. Are other people's chickens this picky when they're molting?

Carol

 

[bluefeather2697]

when the first time my hen molted, she always pecked my rooster. hahaha it's very funny to see them running around chasing each other

 

[CoopChick719]

This thread has been very helpful! I couldn't figure out why my white bantam cochin, Laverne, had just recently tucked herself into the corner of the roost away from everyone and there were feathers everywhere. When we first got her and her sisters, Shirley and Chaquita, she & Shirley roosted together. I noticed her chasing Shirley off the roost at bedtime. Now everyone else (silkie roo, 2 sizzle hens and the sisters) is roosting far away in the opposite corner of the coop. She has also been very cranky towards the flock, fighting w/Shirley, but eating & drinking normally. I'm a newbie so was very concerned about her since the temps have started to drop at night. No heat in the coop but it is fully insulated. Thank you so much!! I will stop worrying so much.

 

[gritsar]

This thread has been very helpful! I couldn't figure out why my white bantam cochin, Laverne, had just recently tucked herself into the corner of the roost away from everyone and there were feathers everywhere. When we first got her and her sisters, Shirley and Chaquita, she & Shirley roosted together. I noticed her chasing Shirley off the roost at bedtime. Now everyone else (silkie roo, 2 sizzle hens and the sisters) is roosting far away in the opposite corner of the coop. She has also been very cranky towards the flock, fighting w/Shirley, but eating & drinking normally. I'm a newbie so was very concerned about her since the temps have started to drop at night. No heat in the coop but it is fully insulated. Thank you so much!! I will stop worrying so much.

 

[CoopChick719]

Thank you!! I'm learning so much here!!

 

[chickwhispers]

Still a helpful and relevant thread!

I have 4 hens at 1 1/2 years and 10 pullets at 5 1/2 months. Two of the hens have already molted without any issues. But my EE mutt who is normally mild mannered

and low in the( first group) pecking order has gone all "attack dog" on some of the pullets. The 3 BCM and 2 RIR seem to be her targets with one BCM getting the brunt of it. She jumps on the backs and pecks at the necks and tries to bite the comb. The worst part is she is worse when I am out with them. When she doesn't see me or I watch from the house she seems less interested in them. So far no blood! Thank goodness, And the younger ones are learning to stay clear of her

. Tonight she went into the nest box to sleep. She also is worse when I feed them treats. She runs back and forth flapping her wings, squawking

and chasing and running after the pullets like a crazed attack dog, and running back and forth from between

the 4 plates I set down for them thinking each one is better!

So glad I found this thread

! I increased protein and am keeping an eye on her. I just hope it doesn't last too long!

I know I went crazy with the smileys but that's kind of what her behavior is like right now! lol!

 

[whiteybird]

can molting make a hen so uncomfortable that her appetite lessens?

 

[chickwhispers]

I am not sure on that. I think in all the molting posts I've seen a couple said they weren't eating as much. It probably depends on the hen. Maybe she just lower inthe pecking order and doesn't feel up to any competition for feed.