Welsummers and molting

[zoomia]

I got four welsummers at auction about a month ago, and they've been leisurely molting ever since. Pinfeathers are coming in, so no worries there. I think they started molting and that's why they went to auction in the first place. But I've scoured the web, and have found NOTHING about whether welsummers are "late molters" or "early molters" or whatever, and was hoping that someone with welsummers could weight in what their experience has been, and how long it lasted.

 

[kycklingmamma]

I have two Welsummers and one of them are going through a hard molt right now, and the other show no signs what so ever of molting..i.e I don't think she is. The one that is molting has very few of her original feathers are left and she is covered in pinfeathers, she feels like a porkiepine when you touch her..I would assume that is what the call a hard molt..I could take a pic if you'd like ..

 

[EweSheep]

One of my Wellies molt one feather at a time.

Nothing unusual about them molting at this time of the year. They would be alittle cranky tho!

 

[zoomia]

Thanks for the replies! They don't look particularly bare, but are definitely dropping and regrowing feathers. In your experience, how long does it take them to get them through the whole process? I've had them for a month, and would guess that they probably started molting a few weeks before that. I want wellie eggs!

 

[EweSheep]

Some would go as short a few weeks or two months. It depends on the bird!

Cat food, wet, fed to them like treats would promote faster feather growing and gives them the shine!

 

[cmom]

All birds are different even within the same breed.

 

[zoomia]

So what you guys are all telling me is that I should stop trying to predict when they're going to start laying!

I had no idea that there could be a huge range within the same breed. And cat food--thanks for the tip. When you say wet, do you mean the canned stuff? Or the dry stuff made wet?

 

[EweSheep]

Either canned or wet down dry cat food works, its all on your budget. You do not need to feed a whole lot just a nice handful or fistful of dry catfood and wet it down. They will gobble them up.

Calf Manna wet down is a good source as well but be careful, its like candy to them!

 

[zoomia]

Cool-- I will try the cat food trick. Thanks!