Molting?

[Nursehev35]

Hello everyone!
So we have 2 buff Orpingtons that are 1 year old this week. They have been laying 2-3 eggs everyday and suddenly on Wednesday we found them both in the same nesting box acting broody, but when we got them out there were no eggs. We’ve noticed some feathers in the coop and some missing on the one birds neck. The one hen is mostly acting normal, but the other one is kinda lethargic and today she sat in the roosting bar all day until we put her in the run and now she is pecking and drinking and acting normal. This is our first experience with molting, if that’s what’s going on. Does this sound like molting?

 

[ronott1]

It could be molting.

Are they eating and drinking? Check the crop at night--it should be full then and empty in the morning.

They need good chicken feed during molting and not corn scratch. I would cut the treats completely

It is also a good time to send in a poo sample for a float test(for worms) or worm them. Also check for lice and mites and treat if you find them. It is a good time because you do not have to worry about not eating the eggs during treatment.

 

[ChickNanny13]

What do you mean "acting broody"?
Are they still "sitting" in the nest?
Any eggs?
Have you noticed loose feathers in the coop prior?
Is you're coop secure, is it possible something got in & scared them?

 

[micstrachan]

I think it sounds like molting, but it’s hard to tell. You’ll know for sure soon!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Hard to say. The obvious indicators of molting for me are: 1) more feathers than usual on the ground and 2) the bird(s) that dropped the feathers doesn't want to be handled at all and may not want other birds touching it (like on roost bar). Depending on how bad it is it may look patchy or bare in spots. Comb will lose color. Otherwise behavior usually doesn't change that much, from what I've seen.

 

[Nursehev35]

To answer the questions. The one did not appear to have left the roosting bar all day, but when we put her in the run she ate and drank. We dusted them with DE and mixed some in the sand in case of mites. They are only a year old so this would be their 1st molt and so I haven’t noticed feathers in the coop before. Their coop is secure. They lethargic one squalks like a teradactyl when we pick her up, which is unusual.
What I meant by broody is that they were both in the nesting box all day and when we would try to touch them they would sqwalk and try and bite (which they never do, they have the sweetest personalities). My husband had to use oven mitts and a towel to get them out of the box.
The one chicken has a bare spot around the neck, and yes both of their combs look pale. There has been no eggs since Tuesday and we had been getting 2-3/day up until then.

 

[ChickNanny13]

It's possible molt, if it's mites best to use Permethrin Poultry Dust instead of DE. If they're broody, they won't lay but that doesn't explain why one is lethargic.

To break a broody a wire cage with the pan removed, top with welded wire (1x2), suspend so air circulates under them, food & water. They can remain in the coop, not separating them, keep them in there for a few days or til they "break".

 

[RWise]

At just 1 YO I would suspect broody over molting as first full molt normally happens at 18-22 months then every year. Not that they cannot molt early, they can.
Have they plucked their belly?

 

[Nursehev35]

It could be molting.

Are they eating and drinking? Check the crop at night--it should be full then and empty in the morning.

They need good chicken feed during molting and not corn scratch. I would cut the treats completely

It is also a good time to send in a poo sample for a float test(for worms) or worm them. Also check for lice and mites and treat if you find them. It is a good time because you do not have to worry about not eating the eggs during treatment.

At just 1 YO I would suspect broody over molting as first full molt normally happens at 18-22 months then every year. Not that they cannot molt early, they can.
Have they plucked their belly?

At just 1 YO I would suspect broody over molting as first full molt normally happens at 18-22 months then every year. Not that they cannot molt early, they can.
Have they plucked their belly?

I thought 1 year was early too, but then I thought well the days are getting shorter again and then there was the sudden stop in laying.
I haven’t noticed any feathers missing on the belly, but I’ll look today.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Plucked belly for sure broody.