MOLTING Questions

[OrpingtonManor]

I'm going through this right now too. One hen is losing feathers so fast that I considered saving them for a pillow. She looks like a naked neck right now, and the rest of her isn't much better. Everyone else looks a bit *rough* so they are probably molting too, just not quite as rapidly. Egg production is down, but I'm still getting a couple here and there. All is well. They'll look good as new in a month or so.

 

[Biddieacres]

Does it take about 4 weeks until they start laying again?

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

So they don't molt until they're 18 months old? That means my 17-week-old pullets won't molt until NEXT fall? Because I've noticed a fair amount of feathers in the pen lately but that's just the normal attrition?

 

[lindym]

My hens are 23 and 24 weeks old. A month ago we had a few eggs and then absolutely none until yesterday and there was one in a nest box

. We DO have feathers everywhere!!!! The BO's necks look quite bare but the EE's don't look too bad. I am finding feathers from both, though.

My BIL has 12 or so BR's that are a couple of weeks younger than ours and he gets large eggs regularly. Just don't understand

Linda