What is molting?

[Kung Foo Chicken]

The answer I gave my niece was, "The ladies are putting on new coats".

 

[WoodChic]

Quote:
LOL.

 

[gsim]

naturegrrl nailed it along with others. Thing is it requires protein to grow new feathers so they have to use the protein available to them to regrow the feathers lost. You can help them by feeding them Calf-Manna, which is very high in protein. That will accelerate regrowth and can sometimes kick-start them back to egg laying. Do not expect much until feathers regrow. Then, due to wintertime, do not expect much after they start up again.

Some swear by lights and some like me believe that will shorten their lives due to them not getting a seasonal rest. I would not do lights at least until feathers are regrown. They need rest and protein. And a lot of their food consumption is used just to generate heat to stay alive in these winter temps. Commercial producers use lights and wear their chickens out in 2 yrs or less. Generally their 2nd molt is their death sentence in those cases.

 

[ttotoole]

I also have a question/observation about molting hens. My Barred rock hens are molting right now. Not a pretty sight. One of the three is not molting. I have noticed that the combs and waddles on the molting hens are very pale, pink almost. The non-molting girl's comb and waddles are bright red as usual. Anybody else notice this? Thanks.
On a side note, I had two EE's stop laying. One was obviously molting and the other not so much. After months of no eggs from the girl who did not seem to be molting, I got a couple squats and noticed her vent was moistned up. A few days l later my favorite blue green egg appeared. The other EE who went through the molt has not given me any indication of getting ready to lay. Her new feathers are so soft though. I was thinking about borrowing a rooster to get them motivated again. Would that be too mean? Perhaps I can borrow a fairly nice rooster. Thanks for any good words.

Terry

 

[cmom]

I had some whos combs and wattles looked rather pale. I changed their feed to a higher protein feed. I thought they could use the extra protein. I have used Game Feed which is 20%. I don't think it affected my other birds any. I have some that went through the molt the past months and some going through it now too.

 

[cube]

I have had some odd issues with molting as well and maybe someone could here could help and advise me on it. I have Black Austerlops and they went through a heavy molt in August which is just about a year old for them. Most of them have re-feathered or at least mostly feathered back out again. I have a few that still won't grow feathers and one who looks sunburned (she is red all on her back and tail). We are in Arizona and it has been 95 degrees or above until December so I didn't know if that had a lot to do with it. The featherless birds appear to be laying ok and are eating well. I have them on Layer feed and I give them fresh fruits and veggies and upon the advise of an old timer, I give them a can of tuna (packed in water) once or twice a week. The thing is they are all acting normal except the fact that they are mostly featherless.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
Do you have a rooster?

 

[Oopoo]

the chickens with the bleeding....when I have the light on in my coop--heat in the winter--they seem to become a little nastier toward each other and really grab at those combs. I've had a fresh wound shaken and spray me with the blood-yuck-- be sure to let the chickens get plenty of sleep. If the light is on they stay up and eat and pick on each other. As for moulting I've only had one buff orp moult. She went bald around the neck starting in Sept/Oct and finally looked filled in by Dec. I just started getting eggs out of her at Christmas (what a nice gift)

 

[cube]

Quote:
No, we got rid of the roos a few months before their molt started

 

[Taylor]

molting is where the chicken looses her feathers, and she quits laying