Molting, No Eggs, Off their feed

[LCKEM]

My red and my barred rock are finishing their molt. My goodness what ugly birds they have been this time! Both have quit laying eggs. But what has me puzzled this go around is that they are not eating very much. Is this normal? I don't remember either of them being off of their feed like this before.

Larry Kight

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hens that are laying eggs need to eat a lot for the nutrition they need to make the eggs. Roosters always eat a lot less than hens, even though the roosters are larger and need more nutrition just to maintain their larger bodies. Roosters don’t lay eggs.

Chickens that are molting use nutrition form what they eat to grow new feathers. Once those feathers are grown they do not need the extra nutrition. All they need is enough nutrition to maintain their bodies until the hens start laying again.

If your hens are over the molt and are not laying yet, they should not be eating as much.