Molting question

Juliebanning

Chirping
Dec 24, 2013
49
9
79
North Carolina
I have a 1 1/2 year old partridge rock that mooted about 2 months ago she then stopped and started laying again now she has stopped laying and appears to be molting again. These are my first chickens and I'm not sure if this is normal.
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This is what she looked like the first time she molted the first picture in the first post is what she looked like a month later and the second one is now. The feathers are growing back. I can't think of any stresses or changes. She and one other bird are doing this the other is not as bad and seems to only be losing feathers I don't thinks she lost the first time.
 
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This is what she looked like the first time she molted the first picture in the first post is what she looked like a month later and the second one is now. The feathers are growing back. I can't think of any stresses or changes. She and one other bird are doing this the other is not as bad and seems to only be losing feathers I don't thinks she lost the first time.
 


The first molt might have been a partial molt. Your hen is completing her cycle now that her egg production has dropped to the the shorter days. While a molting hen can look pitiful as long as I don't see blood, scabs or too much skin, I don't get worried so long as new feathers are coming in.. I usually add a bit more protein to the diet such as Calf Manna. Although now a company is producing a product specifically for the molting flock. I think it's call Feather-Fixer.






 
I have a 1 1/2 year old partridge rock that mooted about 2 months ago she then stopped and started laying again now she has stopped laying and appears to be molting again. These are my first chickens and I'm not sure if this is normal.
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Nice birds
 
I feed my hens the Nutrena Feather Fixer feed when they are molting and it seems to speed up replacement feathers. It is 18% protein (versus 16% layer feed) which really helps during molt.
 
When they cut up the deer, I make little sandwhich bags of culled meat scraps. These I freeze together in a big freezer bag. Then every so often, I throw one out to the flock. Especially when their feathers are coming back in. My coming two year old birds are finally looking like they might live. The one with white feathers is mostly white again, after being nearly bald!

MRs K
 

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