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Frances Russell

The Magical Moult

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Hi, I am still quite new to keeping chickens so am still learning a long the way. So I would be grateful for somebody's input on the matter.

 

Over the last week, whenever I have cleaned the coop I find grey feathers, which are presumably from by bluebelle (Bluebelle). But when I went down this morning, my other chicken (who is a Maran Cuivre) has a small bald patch by her comb. Do you think they are both moulting? My maran cuivre is still laying everyday, but my blubelle has been much more infrequent over the last week. But yesterday evening when I went down to shut them in, I found two of her eggs under the bark in the chicken coop. One on the surface and one underneath (which had obviously been kicked under from another day, this has been the third egg i have found in the chicken run this week! Why do you think she maybe laying outside?!?

 

Thanks for your help! I am just feeling a little unsure! :shock:

I am also thinking of bringing my chickens to sleep inside tonight, because of all the fireworks! Do you think this is wise?

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This is the time of year for moulting, although hens can moult any time of year - if the bald patches don't look red or sore, and you can see new quills coming through, then it's likely to be a moult.

 

As far as the eggs are concerned, sometimes they get 'caught short' and lay outside the nest box; or it could be that your other hen was in there when she wanted to lay, although in my experience two of them will squash in together. There's no real reason for it, and generally they prefer a secure dark nestbox for laying, so she will probably go back to laying in the nest.

 

I have never found my hens to be the slightest bit bothered by fireworks, thunder, lawnmowers or any of the other things that might in theory scare them. I wouldn't bring them in - if your hens are tucked up asleep in the coop by the time it's dark, they will sleep through it all.

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I agree with Olly (forgot to answer the fireworks question)

 

Mine haven't been bothered by the fireworks at all - they are safely tucked up by the time they start and have had no problems at all - there were F.works in Oct next door, last weekend, on Tues and this weekend too and no probs - I wudnt bring them in !

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