TAJ Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 This is Bella earlier in the summer... ...and this is her now in moult, with some feathers still to go and the new ones half grown. Just one old tail feather to go! Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Ahh, bless her! She looks ever so slightly embarrassed in the second photo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Goodness what a shock, ours are too young this year.... looks like I'll be distraut next year! At least you know she'll be back to her finest soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Goodness what a shock, ours are too young this year.... looks like I'll be distraut next year! Ditto... how long does it take for them to grow back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 She is starting to look better now - when she had lost a lot of her feathers she looked worse, now (as you can see) her new feathers are growing quickly - it seems to be her primary wing feathers that are still to renew - I think it has been 2-3 weeks so far. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 You want to see my Kentucky. She looks terrible. Lots of little quills appearing now though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 We have a couple of mouldy looking girls at the moment It's such a shame they loose so many feathers when it's cold Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckbok Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Actually regarding the moult, do the hens have to be over a year old to moult? Not noticed any difference in our girls yet, they still laying, not quite as frequent though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Ah bless, she is going to look magnificent though (eventually). Looks like shes getting some tan feathers to complement the blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 The tan feathers are the old one - she faded and went brown over the summer Now she is looking a lot darker again. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 going beige and then blue again is what Paris is doing at the moment. its actually quite minimal in comparison to Chardonnay - she currently has NO tail, NO bottom feathers, and every time she moves another bit falls off!! bless her, I do feel sorry for her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutrix Farmers Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Thanks for this Taj. I haven't experienced the moult yet but at least now I know what to expect when it happens which may be soon if it happens when they are a year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Our Fifi, who is now over three years of age, is right in the middle of her second moult. She looks absolutely terrible at the moment. It might be hard to imagine, but she currently has a lot less feathers than poor old Bella has in the picture you posted . It is very worrying the first time you see it happen, but having been through this once before I can reassure you that she will re-grow new plumage and will look fantastic again. Interesting Bella's headgear developed black spots. Fifi did that too, about three weeks before feathers started falling out, but I don't remember that happening last time around. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 what's also interesting is the different styles of moulting - my bluebell and yours seem to go for the gradual type, while Char, my silver sussex, has just shed as many as she can at once!! noticed this morning though that her bottom feathers are poking through quite nicely, should keep her a bit warmer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
