chocchick Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I picked Megan off the night tonight to collect eggs and as she is so cuddly, and she was distressed. I popped her down and I think her entire tail fell off There were at least 6 really huge feathers in the nest. I think I broke my chicken, and feel a little guilty She scuttled into the back of the eglu, so will have to wait to see if it was her tail feathers or wing feathers that fell off No wonder the little love didn't want to be held Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 ....what a shock! But, it's quite likely that this is part of a perfectly natural moult, so please be reassured that I don't think it was anything to do with trying to cuddle her. I have a couple moulting heavily just now and, unfairly for them I feel, brrrr, Autumn is a common time for moulting. I found an enormous tail feather in the run today, as well as half of Posy's fluffy feathers It usually starts in the 1st Autumn following egg laying, depending of course on what month they were born too, it's not always autumn. Somtimes they will have partial moults & just look a bit scrawny, even a couple of times a year. Sometimes a heavy full moult which can leave them looking bare & neglected when they're not! It can make them quite run down, so a good diet is essential. The length of time for all this varies a lot too & can be several weeks. Choccy, I'm certain it's a moult unless you see other symptoms, just nature taking it's course. Sleep well. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 Mine are moulting....to various degrees. Give 'em extra protein Choccy....that should help make new feathers. I gave mine some left over spag bol yesterday. They hoovered it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 (edited) Mine too! Babs in on her third moult!! She has been ill though . Laverne is finally losing the bald spot she got from Babs when i first got them last year!! the featehrs around her comb are missing now and she does look odd. The beetle black feathers on her back are lovely and shiny. I hope she is finished before winter! (Having said that, its 5 degrees outside this morning)!! Brrrrrr make that 4.4 and dropping!! And thats with the thermostic wirleless thingy next to the house! Time to give the girls thermals!! Edited October 5, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 Quite a few of ours are looking scraggy and moulting as well. Hopefully, that is all it was CC - I don't think you broke your chicken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 Our girls have not moulted yet.... I wil try to remember not to panic if handfuls of feathers come out at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted October 5, 2007 Author Share Posted October 5, 2007 No it is a moult as there are smaller Megan feathers everywhere, but was (and a bit ) Katy just tried to eat one Megan has 1-2 tail feathers remaining this morning. It's a beautiful long tail normally that points up (she's a Welsummer). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 I liked the broken chicken phrase Choccster! Mine are all like that at the moment, the lawn is covered in feathers, Dolly only has one feather left in her normally magnificent tail, and the eglu is full of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted October 5, 2007 Author Share Posted October 5, 2007 It just came to me and warrented a thread. It scared a few people saying that a bit had fallen off my chicken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 No it is a moult as there are smaller Megan feathers everywhere, but was (and a bit ) Katy just tried to eat one Megan has 1-2 tail feathers remaining this morning. It's a beautiful long tail normally that points up (she's a Welsummer). Don't tell Richard Katy is eating feathers & not tuna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted October 5, 2007 Author Share Posted October 5, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 Richard is averse to feeding his chooks tuna see here http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14532&highlight=tuna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted October 5, 2007 Author Share Posted October 5, 2007 How did I miss that thread?! I've not tried tuna yet, I suspect it will be popular. Katy only kind of stabbed the feather with her beak and stood there looking confused before dropping it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 They go mad for tuna Choccy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted October 5, 2007 Author Share Posted October 5, 2007 may be another camera moment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 Our girls are okay at the moment all looking fine, but our poor African grey looks like some half plucked bird..... Poor thing looks terrible, will only be a few weeks and he will look nice again, should be the same with your girls too, just make sure they get plenty of good stuff to eat and they will be looking great again in no time..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted October 6, 2007 Author Share Posted October 6, 2007 They will get plenty of good stuff. She now has no tail feathers and has a more rounded shape like an orpington now, but thinner Megan's falling feathers have started to stick to Abbie, and I'm starting to tread feathers into our house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted October 6, 2007 Author Share Posted October 6, 2007 Before final tail feather fell off, and watching helicopter in gallery http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=8260 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridgy chooks Posted October 6, 2007 Share Posted October 6, 2007 Gabbi seems really miserable at the moment as she's going through her first proper moult... poor chook Is there any protein you can give chooks thats not tuna/meat as I'm not sure it's right that they should eat this kinda thing?! But that's probably partly cos I'm a veggie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted October 6, 2007 Share Posted October 6, 2007 You can feed eggs back to chickens, they must be cooked. I have done this once before but it didn't seems quite right Poultry spice mixed in with the pellets or poultry tonic added to the drinking water is beneficial to Chickens when they are moulting. Both can be bought in the Omlet shop or at other Poultry places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 Poultry spice or tonic will give them a boost too. Great pics Choc. By the way, I posted originally because I thought you were really worried late at night about the tail feathers and thought I'd better reply to reassure you that you hadn't broken your chicken! Perhaps I take things too literally, but you sounded really upset, so I replied instead of going to bed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 My speckaldy Poppy has no tail at the moment & looks a very odd shape indeed. She has also been laying softies & is mooching around the hen pen in a right strop....not herself at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 Mine are starting to moult too. I am giving them extra porridge with natural yoghurt and poulty spice - thesy seem to hoove it up. They both look scraggy though!! When I feed them tuna the dog gets jealous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 Megan has a beautiful tail again the last 2-3 days although a huge grey fluffy patch on her back still She laid us a little 19g spherical egg, and some intermediate size ones last week It's funny the tiny ones are perfect dark brown Welsummer eggs, but the normal ones are much much lighter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
