Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Sallysec]

I am wondering how long I should expect feather loss before they come in. I watched today as the wind literally took some of their feathers...it was crazy.

 

[Sallysec]

W4W I checked for mites right away, seeing as I thought molting would begin later in the year. No redness of the skin, no physical signs of mites, and I even looked for scabs or feather discoloration...nothing. I cleaned out the coop fully today and dusted with DE before putting back everything. Does molting usually follow a pattern?

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I totally agree W4W, she is so awesome! she gave up the 3 other eggs, so I've just taken them away. two felt like they had chicks, one was sloshy.

the little one is so adorable...

wait, I blinked. take another one.
Hehe! At first I thought you might need to get her a seeing eye duck or something. So much fuzz!

There! She got her Super-Awesome-Broody-Mama Award right there!



What breed are they??
the backup chicks... couldn't not take them even tho' I knew she had a hatchling. I will give Peachy's chick a few days to get sturdier before I add the slightly larger chicks, they are bantams, and are quite tiny, even tho' they are a few weeks old. they are very active, don't want baby trampled...

W4W I checked for mites right away, seeing as I thought molting would begin later in the year. No redness of the skin, no physical signs of mites, and I even looked for scabs or feather discoloration...nothing. I cleaned out the coop fully today and dusted with DE before putting back everything. Does molting usually follow a pattern?

Except for Spot (the BR) I've only seen the gradual type of molt, which some of mine seem to be doing now based on the amount of feathers blowing around the chicken yard. I don't really know the timing or patterns to expect, just that increasing protein during this time will help them grow back good quality feathers and maybe still lay a few eggs for ya.

 

[cheeka]

the backup chicks are Cuckoo Marans x with other Marans, like black and lemon. they won't lay the super dark eggs I guess... but that's not a big deal. like the replacement chicks I got for Peach, one is a Black x Cuckoo Marans and the other I learned today is Lemon Cuckoo Marans. thought she was copper, and she may have some copper in her... kind of a mixed bunch... but they are all beautiful and healthy. all I care about is healthy birds.

I am still working on pics of the molting birds... I tell you, they are normally hams for the camera. I'm getting blurry shots of their backsides as they run off screeching... divas...

THIRTEEN Eggs waiting for me when I got home and a few more are sitting...! yesterday was embarrassing... 6 ... 3 blue, 3 cream. none from the older girls, but today the older girls all laid. looks like Violet was my darker brown egg layer, when I got the nice medium brown... I didn't know which of the 2 RIR's it belonged to... now I know... bummer. Rose lays a nice egg, but it's not as rich a color.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Cheeka, the new chicks are bantam Marans? I didn't know there was such a thing. Way cool.

 

[lindz8504]

Well I have not gotten any eggs today..... usually the older girls all lay before 3... I have been down to the coop several times today and still don't have anything! None in a nest or in the corner... I hope they don't have a hidden nest anywhere because they have been out since 9:30 this morning and I will probably never find them if theu laid them outside!!!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Well I have not gotten any eggs today..... usually the older girls all lay before 3... I have been down to the coop several times today and still don't have anything! None in a nest or in the corner... I hope they don't have a hidden nest anywhere because they have been out since 9:30 this morning and I will probably never find them if theu laid them outside!!!

lindz it would be a rare chicken that lays an egg every day. You should expect that they will take a break once or twice a week (or more, depending on the breed). Also, the laying cycle from start to finish is supposed to be slightly longer than 24 hr, so most chickens will change the time of day they lay. Still a good idea to look for a hidden nest, though.




Sally, if you search "molting" on BYC and then choose "articles" from the menu on the left, there are a few articles with some pics so you can compare. Seems like there is a wide range of normal.

 

[Sallysec]

Yeah I had done a bunch of searches over the past few days. I cracked up laughing at one of them with the hard molt pictures.

Cheeka you have got to put that chick up on Les Farms chick picture contest..it is too cute ...https://www.facebook.com/LesFarmsCanada?directed_target_id=0

 

[cheeka]

Sally, I have more pics coming, you may want to select a different photo... give me a few minutes.

W4W, yes, Marans come in bantams. way cool eh??

picture overload coming in a few minutes, just loading them on the computer now - omg I took 282 pictures...
crazy chicken lady...

 

[cheeka]

Okay Sally... which 3 should I pick for Les Farms contest?????