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

[Madchook]

Is it normal?

[atsw]

Yes, quite 'normal'. I believe theory goes that during the winter egg production slows, so other hormones kick in and moulting starts. This stops egg production entirely of course, but with no eggs to produce, new feather get top priority and before too long they look like new again and egg production re-starts (although quite when my three are going to start again is still something of a mystery, Fifi started to moult in October, looks great now, but still no eggs and the two Orps, being pure breeds, stopped in mid December and have yet to produce anything for 2009 - hummm).

 

Andrew

[Madchook]

Thank you Andrew, I wonder if her body has gone into self preservation mode. She is my oldest hen and was at deaths door (well I think, she lived in a box by the Rayburn three days) just 2.5 weeks ago -this was all thanks to my cockerel becoming rather over-active and over enamored with her Anyway, she was laying up until a week ago so I guess it figures. I am glad anyway as she sure needs a break! Only one other of the girls did a full moult in Sept (the other 2 did seem to partially moult???) and she hasn't gone back into lay, she is fat and in beautiful condition compared to the other two. I'm wondering if she will ever deign to lay again