The Dogmother Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Well, that cold period the other week seems to have set them into an early partial moult; I am now getting 1 or 2 eggs a day rather than 6 or 7 The bottom of the Cube has a thin blanket of feathers in it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 yup mine are laying sporadically and loosing a feather or two. Have a missing chicken too, she hasn't been laying since I found her with a clutch a month ago...wonder if she is broody again and hiding somewhere..have searched but nothing found yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfer_chicken Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Mildred is moulting. It's definitely a full moult- she's covered in spikey new feathers and the run is covered in the old ones. Luckily, I'm not missing out on too many eggs though as she's also brooding her chicks. I did think it seemed a bit early for moulting though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Yep, we have a few moulters too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Glad it's not just mine - they were suddenly all covered in bald patched so i've been madly delousing and DEing, was about to start fitting bumper bits but noticed lots of new feather growth - they've all had a moult! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 One of my cochins has lost all her feet feathers - not a pretty sight, looks like tree trunks underneath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mothercarey Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Daisy is having a bit of a half hearted moult too - mostly around her bottom and neck. She's stopped laying too, which is a bit of a pain, but with no sign of mites or illness, I'm resigned to the fact she's just been fooled by the recent autumnal snap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Much more sensible to do it now rather than in November like last year I've a very spiky pekin as well- aww Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 I noticed last week that a couple of the trees in our park have some red leaves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosey Lucy Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 My garden looks like someone's had a pillow fight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 I'm quite heartened to read this. I bought in some new stock and also a new breed to me about 6 weeks ago and was drowning in eggs. Then I went away and came back to virtually no eggs. I've wormed and no improvement, but have recently realised that one bird has had a neck moult, carefully keeping the outer feathers to fool me, another laid through the winter so is probably having an early break, one is broody, one has just been separated from her offspring and another one is sporting a lot of new growth after cockeral attention and a tail moult if such a thing is possible Even my trusty polands aren't laying very well; I think old age is catching up with 2 of them. With my old stock I knew where I was - September shutdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Me too Daphne, mine would always moult around Octtober half term. I think that the warm weather followed by that relative cold spell has sent them into a moult, mine all look healthy despite the loss of feathers but I have hardly any eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 One of my silkies is leaving feathers all over there is a white carpet in the run. It's such a shame she is looking lovely and the silkies look a mess when in moult Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Some of mine are moulting ... and the leaves are falling too. I guess we'll have another harsh, early winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Glad to hear this. One silly chuck has been seperated for pecking (he ring just did not work, so seperation is plan B ) and has now filled her new run wih white feathers. Wondered if she was plucking herself as she had no friend to pluck, but if others are mouling, I suspect so is she as there are no eggs either. Still waiting for the Mite spray to arrive in the post as well to rule that out - although I can't see anything! Hard work these chooks at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Glad it is not just me! One of my rescue hens is moulting which is a shame as I was looking forward to lots of feathers. Her bald patch on her chest has just covered up too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sari Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Mw too...have wormed, and had intermittent eggs too. Just the two pure breeds, not the hybrid though. Not sure if this means anyhting, however. Sure someone will tell me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 It's just the cool snap that we had the other week - it was enough to turn some leaves red, so it triggered their 'moult switch' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 No sign of moulting here. No doubt my girls will choose to moult in the snow like they did last winter and the winter before It would be so much more sensible for them to get on with it now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie&Moose Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 More moulting here as well - having been broody or 'recovering' on and off since March the cochin has suddenly started to moult, and just to keep her company, our 3 new pure breeds have decided to join in - looks like it's snowing but multicoloured in our garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Kitty Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 I am going to show my lack of knowledge (again! )......As we have only had the 'girls' for a few weeks I haven't experienced moulting before.....Is there anything I need to know/do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I am still a novice and learning more every day but would like any advice on this please. I would have thought it would have been the other way round...moult in spring grow more in winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 It's pretty much business as usual here when the hens are moulting. If it's a particularly cold day then I might make up some hot mash for them to warm their tums a bit, and feed a couple of extra handfuls of corn. It can be helpful to add a tonic to the water, just to help them along the way with their refeathering and some people feed extra mealworms or rinsed tuna for extra protein but I tend only to do this if there's leftovers from tea (tuna, not mealworms ). The hens will stop laying when they are moulting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stehaggan Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I noticed on my RIR last week the back of her neck looked bald, then looking at her she had lots of new feathers coming through - i was a bit worried as none have moulted yet so I didn't really know what had happened but thankfully lots of new feathers coming through and I have read that the first is usually the head/neck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
