Just curious if anyone else's chickens have sore mouths/beaks/throat while molting?
We've got 4, 18 month old, free-range Orpington's going through their first hard molt this autumn (we're in New Zealand).
We've noticed that all four, when in the worst of it won't take treats or food if the pieces are too big or hard. Or if they've been eating for about half a minute, it seems to start to hurt and they stop for a while. They pick things up, try to put it in their mouth and spit even their favorite treats out.
One girl was even spitting out scrambled egg and yogurt soaked oats tonight. She's also slept the entire day - but grooming and excited for food - until she tries to eat it.
All of them are molting on their faces and neck, so not sure if that might have to do with it. And all four of them are avoiding special protein rich pellets we got, in favor of greens and more greens.
We've got 4, 18 month old, free-range Orpington's going through their first hard molt this autumn (we're in New Zealand).
We've noticed that all four, when in the worst of it won't take treats or food if the pieces are too big or hard. Or if they've been eating for about half a minute, it seems to start to hurt and they stop for a while. They pick things up, try to put it in their mouth and spit even their favorite treats out.
One girl was even spitting out scrambled egg and yogurt soaked oats tonight. She's also slept the entire day - but grooming and excited for food - until she tries to eat it.
All of them are molting on their faces and neck, so not sure if that might have to do with it. And all four of them are avoiding special protein rich pellets we got, in favor of greens and more greens.
