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

[gryeyes]

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

Yes, it can. Particularly if she is in the really, really bald or pincushion stage of molt. This is <I>another</I> reason to raise their daily protein level.

When there are molting birds in my flock - and there ARE right now! - I give them a larger than normal amount of BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seed) for their daily hand-feeding treat. Every now and again, I will add dry cat food into their feed trough.

 

[whiteybird]

hmm interesting.

her case is complicated by the fact that she was attacked by a raccoon almost 3 weeks ago and has been living in a box inside ever since...she was missing feathers around her neck and shoulders where it bit her but other than that shes still feathered. there are pin feathers coming out of the skin around the wound which has started healing and also around her head. not a lot of discarded feathers around her box. was starting to eat well past couple days then trailed off today, which is when i noticed so many pin feathers.

when i tried giving our birds boss in the past they werent very impressed by it...would try to break the shell open but since they weren't crisp seeds and wouldnt break the hens lost interest...maybe i need to toast them next time ;-) not sure our cat wants to share her food though!

 

[chickwhispers]

Maybe try some scrambled eggs and/ or Greek Yogurt. One of my pullets was suffered attack by a dog last year. (mom in laws rat terrier thought she was retriever and had hold of her and was bring the poor pullet to us in her mouth). The pullet was pretty tore up with puncture wounds chest became infected etc., cleaned her thoroughly for few days and the only thing she would was scrambled eggs and yogurt. I gave her Greek yogurt for higher protein. She made it through that.

 

[chickwhispers]

Make that the only thing she would eat...

 

[gryeyes]

Oh, yes, I totally forgot that I sometimes make an egg bake loaf fr high protein treats. I have more eggs than I can use or sell, sometimes, so I break a couple dozen into a 9 X 13 inch baking pan, then bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour depending on how deep the eggs are in the pan. Doesn't matter if the yolks break or not. After it cools, I cut it into squares and treat the flock. (Or save it just for there specially "off" birds recovering. from molt or injuries, or for broody hens in confinement.

 

[chickwhispers]

Actually that sounds really good! I love a good egg casserole myself!

 

[whiteybird]

haha yes it does. ive always thought it kind of strange feeding eggs to my hens...though my boyfriend's mother bought baby food to see if she'd eat that, and one of the is chicken and chicken broth

 

[chickwhispers]

Lol! Baby food would be nutrious I would think!

 

[flockanuts]

OK, from a total newbie, when do chicks start molting, how often, and what time of year??? (I'm really trying to learn!)

 

[chickwhispers]

Chickens usually molt in late summer or fall. There are always the exceptions though. I had one molt in mid summer and one who hasn't even started yet. Chicks won't molt their seonal molt until they are around 15 to 18 months. But like I said there are always exceptions to that. there are a great number of good articles and forums here on BYC as well as many good books out there. I read so many forums and books and magazines and still find so much new (to me) information! Anyway Welcome, again.