Not sure if this is the right place for it, but when do hens molt? Mine are exactly 18 months, and look pretty raggedy. I see a few more feathers around than usual, and they are laying less eggs, but I'm still getting 3 - 6 eggs daily from 8 hens. Some of them seem to be growing new feathers, also. I'm just a little worried that they will molt when the weather turns really cold. Does anyone have any experiences they can share with me?
Mine are about the same age....we got them in Feb 09 as day olds....man there are 25 of them and the feathers are everywhere...not sure how long it lasts but I need some more eggs...
Eighteen months is just right for a molt. No worries about them being cold. Mother Nature knows what she's doing. My adult flock is smack dab in the middle of their second adult molt @ 29 months. I've upped their protein by offering high protein snacks - cheese, eggs, moderate amounts of dry cat food and just today switched them to gamebird ration (26% protein vs. the 18% in their layer feed). Still offering oyster shell on the side because I have two hens that are laying right through their molt.
My hens are 18 months also and in bad shape. They need to molt, they look so awful. I did have 2 that molted last winter (at 9 months of age) in December. One of them pretty much had zero feathers and we got a cold spell down to 14 degrees for several nights. (unusual for us to get that cold) She was fine, she snuggled up to my poofy brahma and kept warm. So no need to worry about them molting in winter.
