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

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Kilo's been gently moulting for about 6 weeks now, with more feathers being lost over the last month than the first 2 weeks. She just looks a little scruffly rather than bald, although under her wings is the givaway!

 

She stopped laying 4 weeks ago in line with the increase in feathers.

 

How long does a moult last? She's 20 months, so this ois her first major moult.

[mostin]

It can last from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. Try giving more protein in the diet as this will aid feather growth and speed up the moult.

[jomaxsmith]

My girls seem to be moulting very gently and have barely laid at all in the last month or so - they are coming up to 2 years old and have never moulted before.

 

I was advised at Thornes to put them on Grower's mash for a while to build them back up again and increase the poultry spice.

 

Jo

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Thanks you two. It seems like she's on course then. We've been adding poultry spice to the feed since it started & also have added Lifeguard to the water. Since the Lifeguard addition Krasi's eggs have taken on a lovely bloom in colour.

 

Isn't it just typical. As soon as this post went on yesterday Kilo laid her first egg in weeks - a perfect soft golf ball with very crumbly chalky beige shell. It took her a bit of effort as she's out of practice, but it seems she starting to come out the other end now('scuse the pun! ).

[mostin]

Awwwwwww, bless. It really does take it out of them sometimes. Mealworms are almost all protein and fat, so they can help your girls through, as can a bit of tuna or even some cat food, all high protein foods like the growers pellets.

 

If they need some extra calcium too because of growing the feathers you can try mixing limestone flour into their food as well.

 

Sounds as if they are over the worst of it now though, so fingers crossed .

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Limestone flour does wonders doesn't it! It's part of their regular diet since a bout of soft shells last year and it works wonders.

 

It seems now that Krasi is starting toshed more feathers. She's still laying so will probably stop as Kilo starts again

 

Hurry up October & the extra gils (dilemma...we don't want to wish the summer away! ).

[mostin]

Hurry up October & the extra gils (dilemma...we don't want to wish the summer away! ).

 

 

I know what you mean though. I use the moult as a good excuse to always get a couple of new girls every so often, as then you've always got somebody inlay .

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

The original reason for getting another hen was that Miso died in June, but then our new cats arrived & it "forced" us to have to buy a cube (they were taking too unhealthy an interest in the girls freeranging). The extra space means we can have up to 6 hens, so we're getting 2 to start with. We'll add 2 each time 1 dies.

[mostin]

The original reason for getting another hen was that Miso died in June, but then our new cats arrived & it "forced" us to have to buy a cube (they were taking too unhealthy an interest in the girls freeranging). The extra space means we can have up to 6 hens, so we're getting 2 to start with. We'll add 2 each time 1 dies.

 

"Forced you" love it

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

"Forced you" love it