strange egg laying behavior....help

[grateful]

so we have 16 pullets that should be laying any day now. arrived the third week of May. Then we have another 16 in different stages of the molt. I would think we should be getting done with it soon I have looked at all the sign and staged and they are towards the end. we are only getting 2-4 eggs a day foem 10-14 a day. Is this the molt? I have read that protien like cat food should pull them out of the molt faster. Any thoughts?

 

[Pele]

Yep you're right on the mark. Molts decrease egg production because they are very stressful on the birds' bodies. The last thing they need is to be trying to grow back all their feathers AND packing protien into an egg a day.

The reason that cat-food may hurry the molt along is the protien in it. If their bodies can get enough protien for new feathers fast enough, they can go back to using the protien for laying again.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Molt can be quick or last a long time. I try to limit light a little this time of year to stimulate all to molt together. Genetics determine if they are quick or slow. Cat food by itself isn't the answer but can help. Read the label. If the cat food isn't a higher percentage protein than your chicken ration it will hurt. Cheaper cat foods are lower %.
Feathers are about 92% protein so require a lot to grow. Eggs are mostly protein so they can't make both simultaneously.