Molting

[blackstar14]

I just recently got 12 new layers... I was told that they were 18 months old and that they were molting.... however after reading some more on them I don't think that's what it is... I know they had a roosters in with them where they were and I have a 4 month old rooster in my coop. Should I take my rooster out or is it too early for him to be over mating?

 

[Happy Chooks]

all of my hens are molting and I'm wondering what i should feed them to speed up the process

High protein treats - higher protein feed, mealworms, black oil sunflower seeds, meat scraps, etc.

I just recently got 12 new layers... I was told that they were 18 months old and that they were molting.... however after reading some more on them I don't think that's what it is... I know they had a roosters in with them where they were and I have a 4 month old rooster in my coop. Should I take my rooster out or is it too early for him to be over mating?

A 4 month old cockerel is likely not overmating 12 hens. It will be a while before a mature hen will allow a young cockerel to mate her. Have you seen feathers falling off of them? Are you seeing pinfeathers?

 

[atief1253]

has anyone ever had a black rooster that has white appearing on him around his face and neck? Is that molting? It looks as if he suddenly became old, poor thing. Do roosters molt also?

 

[atief1253]

I was told dry cat food also, as it has a great deal of protein

 

[Happy Chooks]

has anyone ever had a black rooster that has white appearing on him around his face and neck? Is that molting? It looks as if he suddenly became old, poor thing. Do roosters molt also?

Yes, roosters molt too. They don't seem to go through especially hard molts though.

 

[DaisyDo39]

After some experimenting, I found a solution for feathers that have fallen off in chickens molting stage. This tip is a friendly helpful way, so you chicken does not make a big mess while she is molting. All you have to do, is get your hands on a small bag of potting soil and some rocks. Find a spot in the coop. Arrange the rocks in a circle, making sure there are no gaps between.Fill the circle up with potting soil. This gives the chickens a nice place to shed their feathers and rest. It also keeps helps all the feathers contained in one place, instead of all over!

 

[sweetbeak]

Hi all, my lavender arunacuna is molting and hasn't laid for nearly 3 months. How long will this last, today she lost all her tail feathers so she's looking very sad and sorry. I'm thinking another few months before I get her lovely blue eggs again?

 

[atief1253]

our 13 hens starting molting in the beginning of September. It is now January and we have not seen an egg from anyone in two days. In the last four months we got maybe one or two a day. Should we get new chickens? How long is this going to last? It's been four months. Nothing else in their lives has changed and their feathers look all filled out and good again. Please help.

 

[Happy Chooks]

our 13 hens starting molting in the beginning of September. It is now January and we have not seen an egg from anyone in two days. In the last four months we got maybe one or two a day. Should we get new chickens? How long is this going to last? It's been four months. Nothing else in their lives has changed and their feathers look all filled out and good again. Please help.

4 months is not uncommon. Mine average 3-5 months in my flock. Once their feathers are grown back in, they need to get their body weight back up before they can start laying again. Give them all the protein scraps you can, and I'm sure they will be back to laying soon. I have a few that have started back up from their molt, but most still aren't laying.

 

[atief1253]

thanks. I was beginning to think they would never lay again and we would have to get rid of this whole flock and start over. I hope you are right and will just have to be patient and get eggs from friends, I guess.