The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[hoosiercheetah]

I don't think I have any molting yet - is that normal?

 

[hennible]

How old are your birds hoosiercheeta?

 

[hoosiercheetah]

How old are your birds hoosiercheeta?

I have two that are about 18 months, give or take. The others are all about 8 to 10 months. They're all laying hens. One of the older ones abruptly stopped laying about two weeks ago.

 

[hennible]

I don't think they moult in their first year... The one that stopped laying may be getting ready to moult soon... Or she'll be like my buff Brahma and you don't think she's moulting and all of a sudden the bird is just naked and there's a pile of feathers on the floor overnight! Lol

 

[hoosiercheetah]

I don't think they moult in their first year... The one that stopped laying may be getting ready to moult soon... Or she'll be like my buff Brahma and you don't think she's moulting and all of a sudden the bird is just naked and there's a pile of feathers on the floor overnight! Lol

Ha! That's too funny. I hope that one does moult this year - she's a black English Orp, and when I got her last spring, her butt feathers were so nasty I had to cut most of them. I'm tired of looking at a naked chicken butt; I'm ready for her to feather out again.

 

[hennible]

Poor bird.
Lol, naked chicken butt

 

[RedRidge]

I have.  Never had a chick with a pasty butt.  I also go easy on the heat lamp when I'm brooding them indoors.  They're warm, but not too warm.  

Cool beans. I'm thinking of brooding overwinter in my garage, with special provisions for the cold of course.

I brood over winter outside and have never lost chicks to cold after the first 48 hrs. I really think they are much hardier than folks give them credit for.

 

[hennible]

I would to if I lived near you, but up here I've seen eggs nearly freeze under a broody ( in January in the coop )
Just depends on your local climate of course.

 

[Turk Raphael]

I don't think I have any molting yet - is that normal?

You may only have minor molting, with only a feather here and a feather there, provided your birds are not approaching 15 to 18 months of age.

 

[armorfirelady]

 
I don't think I have any molting yet - is that normal?

You may only have minor molting, with only a feather here and a feather there, provided your birds are not approaching 15 to 18 months of age.  

My pullets normally only molt a few feathers here and there. Once they are older they molt more feathers in the fall. None of my hens have ever molted all their feathers
So they are bare (I've seen pics of one hat have) but this year the 3 yo hens molted the most they ever have and have bald spots under their wings and on their butt. The 2 yo are molting but not horribly. I think Edie lost the most but she has a couple bare spots on her neck you only see if you pick her up. And she has been laying normally. Stella has been slowly molting for months lol. Edie is my only layer For the last couple weeks. Told the other slackers they need to get over themselves and start layin again. They just roll their eyes at me and stand around my moms treat jar she has for them. (Bird seed). I'm mean I do let give them any lol.