Millie-Annie Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Hi, my lovely Ivy is the last of my ex-batts. I have had her over 3 years which is a record. Until a week or so ago she was laying every day. She has now had one of the heaviest moults I have ever seen. She has no wings, no tail, no underneath and her back is a mass of newly growing quills too. I am glad she isn't laying, she needs all her strength for the moult. Today she looked cold and fed up. I gave her a big dish of corn which she tucked into and cooked her some rice with a teaspoon of marmite mixed in. Anything else I can do? I really hope she pulls through, she looks so sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 To grow feathers she needs a high protein diet Millie-Annie. So she needs treats of sunflower hearts, mealworms or sterile maggots. Giving her anything else as a treat will be counter-productive. We have two moulting at the moment and we are giving them a warm wet mash made from rearer pellets, which is slightly higher in protein. If it gets very cold they we be brought in at night but at the moment a blanket over the nest box they sleep in is sufficient I hope. She won't be properly insulated until the feathers have developed the insulation at the base, so even if she looks feathered you may need to keep giving her special treatment. Very important to avoid hypothermia, so check her under wing temperature if she looks cold and don't hesitate to get her inside for a few hours. It is a difficult condition to treat if she gets to the stage of not moving or shivering and just staring into space. She will need to be kept inside for at least two weeks and given probiotics (we use Avipro Avian) to restore the gut flora that the cold has killed. Good luck for Ivy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Thanks for that. She is a lot brighter today, running around, pecking the others when they try to pinch her food. I have caught her and felt under her wings and she is lovely and warm. My nest box isn't huge and there are four of them in there at night, including my huge Orpington who she is friends with, so hopefully she snuggles up to her. I have given her mealworms, and there were peas and sweetcorn left over from dinner so she has tucked into those. I will buy some cottage cheese tomorrow and mix it with porridge oats as I remember from previous years they love that. I have also bought something that I can't remember the name of but it goes into the water for stressed chickens and moulting chickens I am happier that she more her old self today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 *late reply* Yes, mealworms or anything high in protein is best when moulting Hoping Ivy is doing better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
