Now That The Molt Is Mostly Over...PIC HEAVY!

[speckledhen]

Thank you, OvertheHenHouse and Nifty! They love to roam all over, that bunch. I don't take pictures of them very often anymore, but some are getting up in age now so thought I'd get a few shots of my crew.

 

[gryeyes]

They are gorgeous!

I love that you have some "getting up in age!"

 

[Mattemma]

Great pictures! I love the blue ones in the first photo.Makes me want to buy some. I did not know we should trim toe nails.

 

[zazouse]

Beautiful flocks,
thanks for sharing the wonderful photos.

 

[terrilhb]

WOW they are gorgeous. Thank you for sharing. When does molt end?

 

[speckledhen]

Molt ends at different times for different birds, depending on their ages and just when the individuals molt. Some have been done for awhile, some are just barely getting to the end of it.

Linda, though they are aging, with most hens being three and a half to five years old, the main laying flock doesn't contain my oldest birds. I have one of my original hens left, Sunny, who lives with the bantams and she is six years old. She lives with the bantams because I figure she has earned a semi-rooster-less existence and she can handle those little pint size buttheads. The Orp group has big Suede and my RIR/Buff Orp hen, Meg, who are five years old, and were in the same brooder with the two Brahma hens. Except for Sunny, the older hens all still lay eggs when not recovering from their molts. Sunny's age of six sound old to some, but for hatchery production stock, six years old is positively ancient. The last original died about a week ago of ovarian carcinoma, Reba.

Mattemma, if they got to free range all day, every day, like when I just had one flock, I might not have to trim some of the nails. And as I said, I don't have to trim nails on most of the birds, just a few of them, who seem to grow Freddy Krueger-like middle toenails.

 

[Mahonri]

just saw this thread.

As always, my goal has been to feed and care for my birds so they'll look as good as yours.

I can feel the love they get just looking at them. Your blues are to die for.

I just re homed my only blue to someone who I knew would care for her in a free range environment...

THANKS for making me jealous.

 

[Sjisty]

Beautiful birds! Glad to see you have a Brahma - everybody should have at least one!

 

[ruffles]

OH< boy, our 18 laying hens from two and a half to one and a half just finished a very heavy moult.

Next year all 26 will be moulting heavily, as they were all born in May and June

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
I also have a Light Brahma, Miranda, who somehow missed the pics. Thought I had one of her, though. Have to go back and check if I missed uploading it. She and Caroline have been great girls, friendly, but not complete pests about it.


ETA: No, guess that pic must not have come out well of Miranda. Can't find it.

Sorry, Mahonri, wish you still had all your birds. Mine are mostly rotten pets, but you know that.