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Is is normal that a chicken still lays eggs when molting? Sunny came out of broody 3 weeks ago and started molting right away. Then she started laying an egg per day about 10days ago and haven’t stopped yet. I do give them 28% gamebird feed. The pullets are getting fat when the adults are struggling to grow feathers back. :heI don’t know if I should switch back to grower.
 
dheltzel said:
I would not be at all surprised if it returns quickly and often. This time of year is tough for the inexperienced fledglings. I think many die of starvation, or come close, and they will do anything for a meal, even endure physical pain or dangers their parents would never get close to.
It really is a shame you can't have a big, beefy rooster to guard your flock. The small hawks are definitely no match for a big rooster. I once found a dead Coopers or Sharpshin hawk in a pen with only Legbars, I assume the young legbar cockerels ganged up on the little hawk and it could not get away in the enclosed space. In a free-range situation, the hawk would just fly away and probably stay away.
I also have Polish for the first time (Gold Laced) and they are hysterical looking, but I can see how a predator could sneak up on them.
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Adam would have eaten this hawk for breakfast. I really need a quiet rooster.

I hope to get some chamois spitzhaubens from you next spring so I can finally have some crested birds that are predator savvy. When the Spitz were around there is no way this hawk would have snuck in. Of course, they were both boys...
 
TillyPeeps said:
Is is normal that a chicken still lays eggs when molting? Sunny came out of broody 3 weeks ago and started molting right away. Then she started laying an egg per day about 10days ago and haven’t stopped yet. I do give them 28% gamebird feed. The pullets are getting fat when the adults are struggling to grow feathers back. :heI don’t know if I should switch back to grower.
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I don't know that high protein is necessary when molting. Logic would say yes, since feathers are pretty much all protein, but animals regulate the amount they eat based on their need for resources, and I was told recently by a more experienced poultryman that lower protein supports their molt better. He switches to 14% around labor day. I just got a new shipment of feed yesterday and opted for a 15% turkey flight conditioner instead of my usual 22% turkey breeder. Not certain that was the right choice, but you learn from experience either way.

The high protein could be encouraging the egg laying, kind of defeating the purpose of the high protein to support feather development. But I really don't understand chicken physiology to make the call. I know plant physiology, but don't think it applies here.
 
feliciadawn said:
Adam would have eaten this hawk for breakfast. I really need a quiet rooster.

I hope to get some chamois spitzhaubens from you next spring so I can finally have some crested birds that are predator savvy. When the Spitz were around there is no way this hawk would have snuck in. Of course, they were both boys...
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Adam was a hunk of rooster for sure! I should ask my friend how he is doing with his 50+ hens.
I hope to have plenty of Spitzhauben next spring. I have noticed a lot of variability in color in the Chamois. A few are close to solid white. Spangling genetics are new to me. That may be a normal by-product of the patterning genetics. I'm sure I can find takers for any I don't want to keep.
They are freaky little things, but hopefully they are just in that stage all chicks go through where they realize they are on the menu for almost everything and it is a dangerous world out there. I watch that transformation each year, as the young birds come to realize they are safe in my presence and will even rush to greet me if they suspect I have something they will want to eat.
 
dheltzel said:
ind takers for any I don't want to keep.
They are freaky little things, but hopefully they are just in that stage all chicks go through where they realize they are on the menu for almost everything and it is a dangerous world out there. I watch that transformation each year, as the young birds come to realize they are safe in my presence and will even rush to greet me if they suspect I have something they will want to eat.
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The little Polish was just starting to trust me like that. She will be missed.

No sign of the hawk today. I am hopeful that the shock dissuaded that hawk from my property for good Apparently there is a product you can buy called a "shock post" to get rid of hawks who are disturbing poultry. I basically built my own version of this. I see it as a good sign that the squirrels and small birds are out in force.
 
dheltzel said:
I don't know that high protein is necessary when molting. Logic would say yes, since feathers are pretty much all protein, but animals regulate the amount they eat based on their need for resources, and I was told recently by a more experienced poultryman that lower protein supports their molt better. He switches to 14% around labor day. I just got a new shipment of feed yesterday and opted for a 15% turkey flight conditioner instead of my usual 22% turkey breeder. Not certain that was the right choice, but you learn from experience either way.

The high protein could be encouraging the egg laying, kind of defeating the purpose of the high protein to support feather development. But I really don't understand chicken physiology to make the call. I know plant physiology, but don't think it applies here.
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I think I will switch their feed back to grower to see if it helps. I switched to game bird feed around early October when the first one started molting. I did notice that my girls started much later than most other chickens and am wondering if that because I always give them 20% grower and then 28%. Their molting seems very slow too. After 6 weeks, the first one still half bold. Maybe I should reduce the protein more by add some veggies. I believe part of the reason that they are fat is because they cannot go out due to the hawk. Don’t know if that also affects their molting though.
 
feliciadawn said:
I just lost my only polish to a cooper hawk -- my first ever hawk attack. I have had all kinds of chickens and have only lost my polish (2 of them) to predators. Even my little silkie did better, and my frizzled cochin managed to fly over the fence to hide.

Anyway I saw the hawk get through my trees by landing on the fence and then flying in. So I set up the fence with electric on top just above the fence-line and a ground wire right beneath that in the spot of landing. Sure enough the hawk came back, and there was a lot of fluttering as it tried to leave in a hurry. Do you think it will be back again after getting a shock?
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Oh NO! So sorry. Is the electric still working?
 
Blarneyeggs said:
Oh NO! So sorry. Is the electric still working?
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It is working now. It was at a very low voltage on the day of the attack owing to a post falling down and grounding out. Now it is at full power and I believe it gave a strong shock to the hawk when he returned yesterday. Today there was no sign at all of the hawk. Poor chickens, they are still refusing to go to the upper part of their pen. I think they have PTSD.
 

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