Ok.. give it to me straight about molting !!!

[GinaSki]

:| Can I tell you that I am confused ??? I think my girls are molting..but since this is our first fall together..I am not sure... there are feathers everywhere.. although they don't seem any worse for wear... egg production between the five of them is down to 1-2 per day over the last several days... can anyone help me out... ?? What does molt look like and how long will be it before we are 'back in business"...?
THANKS !!!

 

[Katy]

Sounds like they're probably molting. How do their combs look? More shriveled and not as bright red?

 

[Buff Hooligans]

If your chickens are less than a year old, I think that once they get their "teenage" feathers, then hang on to them a while. My girls are 5 months old and fully feathered (no bare areas or pin feathers showing), but I do find their adolescent feathers all over the coop floor. I read on this forum that that is normal, so I didn't think too much of it.

 

[justusnak]

Lots of feathers, and less eggs, yup...sounds like moulting to me. It wont be long, they will be back to thier normal selves. Of course, with winter coming on, the egg laying might stay slower than normal. Increase thier light in the coop to 14 hrs ( add it in the morning, not at night) This will help with laying. Also, you might want to throw a few hanffulls of dry cat food to them as a treet a few times a week, to up the protien levels during molt.