The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[delisha]

I've had molt before. Just NEVER saw ANY chicken refuse to eat meat....under any circumstances.

For me, that is a warning sign that there may be a bigger issue.


Oh...and I'm "hands-off" on bumblefoot unless I see infection.

well now you have experienced it. I have two hens who will not eat meat with other hens in the area..they know they get beat up, so they ignore it and follow me knowing i will give them some in a different place.

 

[aoxa]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ctures-fall-winter-2012-winners-announced/420
Here is the link to the winners. She did win worst molt for the frizzle category.

Here she is all feathered out (in the middle)

 

[Leahs Mom]

That's totally incredible that it is the same bird.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Smart birdies!

 

[aaggjg]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ctures-fall-winter-2012-winners-announced/420 Here is the link to the winners. She did win worst molt for the frizzle category.

Here she is all feathered out (in the middle)

Wow she is beautiful!!! I'd never guess that was the same chicken!!! Mine hasn't molted yet this year.... I'm a little scared now :-0

 

[armorfirelady]

 
I've had molt before.  Just NEVER saw ANY chicken refuse to eat meat....under any circumstances. 

For me, that is a warning sign that there may be a bigger issue.


Oh...and I'm "hands-off" on bumblefoot unless I see infection.

well now you have experienced it. I have two hens who will not eat meat with other hens in the area..they know they get beat up, so they ignore it and follow me knowing i will give them some in a different place.

Sophie Lucy and Edie are the same way. They just watch and wait for the big girls to finish then clean up after. The tots molts are not so bad it's the big girls who look ruffled.

 

[armorfirelady]

Here's the older girls looking pathetic. They wouldn't win any contests but they sure look silly with no tails. And those feathers sticking out every which way make me want to pull them out since they look like they would be annoying. They had a pie plate of beef liver this morning. Tho they were not impressed with me interrupting their pumpkin snack & time digging thru the leaves I threw in yesterday.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I've hardly been able to look at my birds recently ... coming up on 18 months old and molting "on schedule." I know it's natural, but it hurts me to see. The good news is the birds that were first to molt are looking amazing now. But some of the others ... UGH!

 

[aoxa]

I've hardly been able to look at my birds recently ... coming up on 18 months old and molting "on schedule." I know it's natural, but it hurts me to see. The good news is the birds that were first to molt are looking amazing now. But some of the others ... UGH!

Looking at them doesn't bother me, but I don't like to see them so uncomfortable. Some of them look downright cold all hunched up...

I feel bad for them when the boys are trying to get fresh.

 

[armorfirelady]

You would think that when the temps are colder their body would kick in to molt faster. It's been in the 30s & 40/s here and the poof up to try and stay warm with their lack of feathers. I wasn't so worried when red took 2 months over the summer since the temps were so warm. She probably enjoyed a few less feathers