Molting Questions!

[Chick1043]

I noticed a 4 days ago my girls had mites, were loosing a ton of feathers, and aren't laying any eggs. I get 2/11 eggs a day!! 1 hen is broody do she doesn't lay and 1 is a pullet and isn't old enough yet....The oldest hen is only 1 year. I was wondering is it could just be that they're molting? I haven't experienced molting yet because they're only a year. Could it be molting, worms, malnutrition, the lice??? I feed them layena layer pellets, grit, and oyster shell. They free-range on 1/2 an acre all day. Any tips/advice would be great!!!! Thanks

 

[Chick1043]

Could it possibly be the heat? It's been around mid 90s...?

 

[Den in Penn]

If they had mites it may take a while for them to get back to laying full. The first adult molt is around 18 months so that is coming if they aren't already in to it. If you are watching them close you'll start to see a disheveled look about them, a flight or tail feather hanging oddly, patches of feathers that don't lay right, as the feathers loosen. Then comes the feathers blowing about the pen. If they are molting, yes egg production does slow or stop. You saw mites so you should be able to see lice. Worms are always possible, are they eating more or losing weight? And heat slows them down too. Free ranging on 1/2 acre, hidden nest are possible.

 

[Chick1043]

If they had mites it may take a while for them to get back to laying full. The first adult molt is around 18 months so that is coming if they aren't already in to it. If you are watching them close you'll start to see a disheveled look about them, a flight or tail feather hanging oddly, patches of feathers that don't lay right, as the feathers loosen. Then comes the feathers blowing about the pen. If they are molting, yes egg production does slow or stop. You saw mites so you should be able to see lice. Worms are always possible, are they eating more or losing weight? And heat slows them down too. Free ranging on 1/2 acre, hidden nest are possible.

Thank you for replying!!! They are all around 18 months. I figure it was the molting because I haven't seen any mites or lice (dont know which it was) on them since I dusted them. I looked all over the backyard searching for eggs and can't find any! lol The supply store I go to won't have de wormer until next week, so once that's in I'll go get some..