The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[speckledhen]

That is why I do not put lights in my coop until late February or even March - that time off from laying lets them plump up and resist the cold better, and lets them replenish their stores of calcium and pigments.

Yeah, I agree, I never light my coops. There is a 4W night light just for minimal light for us is we go out there or so if someone falls, they may be able to see a tiny bit to get back up, but nothing that would trigger/prolong laying.

 

[getaclue]

When mine are in molt, I up the protein, and calcium. I switch to a show feed, and a couple times a week feed them cat foot, canned mackerel, eggs with the eggshell in it, and extra mealworms. It seems to help them a lot. That's usually the only time I switch them from their normal feed.

Years ago, I bought a pullet that had very poor feather quality. I got her looking good, and then she went into molt. That poor little hen lost every feather overnight, and didn't have a lot of energy. She looked pathetic, and quit laying. I was looking into my SOP birds at the time, so I got a bag of show feed. I fed some to her. Lo, and behold she began laying, and getting little feather shafts all over. She looked like a hedgehog chicken, with all the prickles all over. I continued with the show feed, until she was fully feathered, and they were good feathers. Not poor quality, like before. After she finished molting, I put her back on her regular feed. The next year, she lost feathers in sections, not all of them at once. Of course, when she first began to molt, I changed her feed. I can't get the type feed here that you get, so I have to incorporate some animal protein into their diet during molt. It helps a lot.

 

[speckledhen]

My normal feed is already 22% protein and I'm willing to bet that the show feed is that or lower anyway. I may supplement a little bit with probiotics, flax seed and/or just add vitamin supplements, but generally, they get a good diet year-round.

Hedgehog chicken is a good description of poor Zara right now. She is miserable, poor baby. There is nowhere I can comfortably pick her up if I wanted to. I have some beef liver frozen left over, could give her some shredded in an egg here and there, but she needs to rest until the feathers start in good.

 

[h2oratt]

No show feed here either

 

[Leahs Mom]

From 2015. I figured if she was going to have to come into the house (It was in the 20's outside), I might as well put her to work doing something.


Hedgehog Broody 2015

 

[speckledhen]

Hahaha, Zara looks just like that. Ouchie!

 

[h2oratt]

From 2015. I figured if she was going to have to come into the house (It was in the 20's outside), I might as well put her to work doing something.


Hedgehog Broody 2015
View attachment 1562199

What the heck? Is that a real picture?

 

[getaclue]

The showbird feed is 24%, so you're close enough with what you're already feeding them. Just make sure they get some animal protein too. I know the feed you were using was really good stuff, and had animal protein, not just vegetable protein. I like to use the showbird feed for chicks, but get them off of it when they begin to lay. I also like it during molt. Otherwise, I find the protein content to be just a tad too high, and keeping them on it, interferes with their laying.

 

[Leahs Mom]

What the heck? Is that a real picture?

Well.....
The "broody" is exactly as she was. No photo editing.

The hedgehogs....photoshop magic.

 

[1muttsfan]

One of my hens molted late and hard last year, I found her almost frozen in a nest box just before she likely would have died. It took several weeks before she could go back to the coop, then would sleep only on the floor in a corner and frostbit her feet . Hope she does better this winter!