Sooo much pooping

[Tigerlily]

Hi there

 

Well... we very sadly lost Betty(2nd of our original girls) two weeks ago... It was very sudden and out of the blue. She was such a big girl, I think it was her heart, bless her. I am thankful she didn't suffer and it was quick.

 

We now have Mabel the last of our originals... Intros with the newbies had been slow - due to Betty violently attacking them whenever I tried intros with them Anyway, because of Mabel being the last one, I knew I had to try and integrate her. Everything went well - a few hackles and handbags but they are getting on quite well now!

 

I have a few worries about Mabel though and need advice:

 

She has had her usual Autumnal moult - mainly her tail feathers. I have been giving lifeguard/ACV in her water.

She has stopped laying - I'm thinking this must be her henopause due to her age and she is pale around the comb/wattle area.

She is off her pellets - she won't eat them at all! I am giving greens/corn/pasta etc. Do you think I should try growers?

She won't let me near her! She squawks if I try to stroke her. Is this because she isn't crouching anymore?

She's a naughty little madam! Give her her due, even though she's an old lady she's managed to be 2nd in command and keeps neck pecking poor Dotty and Olive

She's on her own in the eglu at night (her choice!), the others are in the cube. Should I try and move her in with the others?

How do you think she will cope with winter?

 

Sorry for the long post, i'm just wondering if there's anything else I can do for her!

 

Thanks so much

[Chooks Aloud]

I had to keep one of my older ladies on her own through several winters and she was okay, so I wouldn't worry too much about her being on her own in the eglu, she probably prefers it.

 

She probably doesn't like you touching her if she is moulting due to the feathers coming through. Mine too are going through the moult (looking like big hedgehogs with their spines appearing) and they do go pale round the comb and wattles. Mine usually love a cuddle, but when I pick them up they bok and you can tell they are uncomfortable.

 

Hens do not lay when moulting, they put all their energy into producing new feathers. Pellets must be available at all times as these have all the necessary nutrients etc a chook needs. They do go off their food when moulting and I know it is worrying but as long as she is eating something she should be okay. Perhaps try her with some meal worms as a treat they love these. But not too many treats as she has to have the pellets.

 

I put Stressless (poultry tonic) in their water to help as well. My girls are 5 and a half now and right up until the moult were still laying - I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they start again when fully feathered!

 

Hope this helps.

[Lavenders_Blue]

That's quite normal, mine go feral too when they moult

Hens will stop laying whilst they moult, they need the energy for their new feathers. No laying = no crouching = skittish hens

I expect once Mabel has finished moulting she will come back into lay.

[chickencam]

She should be fine through the winter if she is regrowing her feathers now, they don't eat nearly as much when they are off lay, so if she seems well in herself I wouldn't worry. I have one of my original Omlet hens and she is a couple of months short of 5 years old, I also have a pure breed Light Sussex who is a couple of months younger, I moved them in with the 2 year olds at the beginning of the summer and they have been fine. The Light Sussex laid from February to August this year and my Pepperpot laid a few eggs early in the season and also did some practice crowing, so her hormones were very much in disarray, she seems to have settled into a normal retirement now and she is a beautiful bird with lovely plumage now that her energies are not going into egg production.