4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Philippa]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the forum but thrilled to have found you all. Reading the posts everyone seems so kind and knowledgeable and I hope I'll get to know some of you a bit better.

 

We have 2 chickens, a Bluebell called 'Spidey' and a Black Rock called 'Tink'. We got them in Nov 07 but they weren't at point of lay, so we didn't get out first eggs until Mid-January and early-Feb.

 

They live in their Cube and have a fenced off area of their own which they come out into each day for a good peck and scratch. I love watching them and they cause a great deal of amusement with their antics.

 

Spidey, the older of the two had her first moult at the end of November/beginning of December and although she didn't lose very many feathers you can see the new ones as they are a slightly different colour.

 

Tink didn't moult then, but over the past week she has started moulting. Should I be worried that it is so late? She seems perfectly healthy - clean eyes, nose, beak and vent and is eating and behaving as normal, with no noticeable scratching or dodgy poos! Over the past week she has stopped laying though. I cleaned them out this morning and there was no evidence of critters in the cube.

 

So basically I have a chicken who seems fine in herself but is moulting later than some books I've read suggest. Should I be panicking?

 

Thanks in anticipation of your help.

Kind regards,

Philippa

PS Will try to get to grips with smilies etc on next post!!!

[Christian]

Hello Philippa and welcome to the forum

 

As long as she looks healthy, is eating/drinking and scratching around, then I am sure she is fine.

 

3 of my chickens are the same age, but all moulted at slightly different times

 

They usually stop laying when they are moulting as it takes so much energy to produce new feathers.

[cluckbok]

Hi ya Philippa and welcome to the forum , you did the right thing joining us

 

I wouldn't worry as along as eating/drinking fine. We have noticed in the last week that we haven't had any eggs from our Columbine and there are quite alot of feathers in the run and nest box this morning. So it looks like we have our first moult. Silly hens eh moulting in this weather

[moomin]

My Skye has had two 'mini-moults', a few weeks ago she was loosing all her fluffy bum feathers, then she stopped. Now this week she's loosing all her neck feathers

 

Some chickens have no sense of timing!

[Egluntyne]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

 

No need to panic They all do it at different times.

[Philippa]

I just wanted to say a huge 'THANK YOU' to everyone who has made me feel so welcome on the forum and for all of your advice.

 

My girls are far from impressed today as we now have gale force winds and rain, but then I do live on the north-west coast. They are so disgusted with what is now horizontal rain that they have retired upstairs . I daren't let them out of their run at the moment because they'll turn into tumble weed!

 

Thanks again to everyone and I really look forward to 'chatting' with you all again.

 

Best wishes,

 

Philippa

[fowlbird]

as everyone else has said, there's no need to panic, Philipa but if you want to, go ahead - we all do it

[mostin]

Just wanted to join in saying welcome to the forum Philippa . Let us know how your moulting ladies get on, keep us posted.

[TAJ]

Of my 3 one is a month older than the others. The oldest one is just re-growing feathers now, one of the younger 2 moulted in November and the other one has yet to moult at all.

 

As long as they are happy I wouldn't worry.

 

Tracy

[sandyhas3chucks]

you are in good"over protective" "worrying" company. loads of our silly chooks on this and other forums got us all bothered & confused welcome to the gang.