Molting chicken scare

[harveyhorses]

I knew someone was about to go into serious molt mode, but when I went out this morning I was met by a HUGE pile of feathers and 4 hens asking to go out, not 5. Where is #5? I look in the coop, I look under the coop, still 4 following me around, WHERE IS FIVE OMG SHE HAS BEEN EATEN. Our run is not huge, I am really starting to panic, check inside again, check under again, look down still 5, start to look at the feathers and hear a bwak, she is sitting on the roost, not a care in the world. Her name is Sasha, and by far the friendliest, AND the only one to keep going broody and the first to molt.
How fast do they re-feather? Am I going to have to knit her a sweater?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Glad you found her safe and sound. Each chicken seems to keep to their own schedule for molting. I've had them take up to a couple of months and I have one hen that just completed her molt in under ten days. I also have one brahma hen that doesn't quit laying while she's molting. That's considered a good trait, but unfortunately it means her total molt time is longer because she is putting energy into laying eggs, not growing new feathers.

Give them the high protein treats. It takes protein and lots of it to grow new feathers.

 

[harveyhorses]

What is a good high protein snack? Is suet o.k. for them? I dropped a suet cake for the wild birds and my girls were all over it.

My sister is amazed she is not totally bald with the amount of feathers everywhere.

 

[hennyannie]

Funny you mentioned the broody thing. My broody hen is molting right now. She has been setting for what seems like forever and now she goes into molt.
I think she just doesn't like to work!LOL I remember the first time I had a serious molt happen, I ran to house and got my brother, told him something killed
alot of our chickens.It was so funny when he counted them and all were present. Just a little on the naked side.
I am giving Broody some manna pro conditioner, hoping to help her grow back faster.

 

[Katy]

As others have already said.....How long depends on the individual hen. Some of mine refeather quite quickly while others seem to take forever. I up the BOSS I give them and throw out a little cat food to them.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Small amounts of dry cat food, canned mackerel, eggs - scrambled or hardboiled, small amounts of cheese, plain yogurt, the suet is okay too. As Katy said, BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds).