Woot! Maggie has finished molting!!

[gritsar]

Her molt only lasted three weeks according to my records. She was back on the nest this morning!

Maybe it won't be a long, egg-less winter after all.


Now if Jezebel would just get started on growing new feathers.

 

[speckledhen]

I wish my black Ameraucana hen, Gypsy, would stop laying so she could grow back some feathers on her head, neck and back. She looks like a vulture with a mohawk.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I have two girls that are doing both, molting and laying. I didn't know that was possible, but apparently these two didn't read the book.

Jezebel looks and feels like a porcupine.

 

[speckledhen]

I think Lexie was molting for about six months. When she finally quit laying for a couple weeks, she finally grew feathers back. She was pitiful-looking.

 

[Chickapooh23]

OK, I have about a million questions about molting. This will be the first molt for me and my chickens. Do you change their diet? I have heard that some people give more protein while others give less. I think my buckeyes are molting. They quit laying about two weeks ago but there feathers just started coming out today. They have been forging like crazy lately so I think that they are increasing their own protein.

 

[speckledhen]

They need extra protein to finish their molt in good time. They probably are looking for bug protein on their own.

 

[gritsar]

When mine started molting I changed all their daily treats to the higher protein kind - cheese, eggs, yogurt, dry cat food, etc. I wanted to switch them to gamebird feed, but our co-op apparently only sells that with the full of bugs option

By the way, Maggie is sure making up for lost time. Today's egg was huge. It filled up the palm of my hand.

 

[Chickapooh23]

Quote:
Yeah, mine eat the cats food everyday anyway.

I am going to get some soymeal at the feed mill. If you add a little to there feed everyday if boost there protein.

Next, ??? after the molt I read that their eggs increase in size. Does that kick in right away or does it take a little time like when they start laying in Jan? Sounds like Maggie is right away. Do they go through the double yolker thing again or is that just a newbie layer thing?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Yeah, mine eat the cats food everyday anyway.

I am going to get some soymeal at the feed mill. If you add a little to there feed everyday if boost there protein.

Next, ??? after the molt I read that their eggs increase in size. Does that kick in right away or does it take a little time like when they start laying in Jan? Sounds like Maggie is right away. Do they go through the double yolker thing again or is that just a newbie layer thing?

That I couldn't answer. This is my girls first full molt. They had a mini-molt when they were about 7 to 9 months old, but didn't really stop laying then.

 

[Chickapooh23]

Yeah, my first molt also (obviously). I feel like I should be boiling water and getting clean towels. I know I should just relax because the chickens know what to do but I had such bad luck last year that I get reaaaalllly nervous when I (or the chickens) have to do something new.