My 6 white leghorns are 6 months old and started laying last month. Gone from five large eggs to one or two eggs daily this past week. It would appear they have started to moult. As this is my first episode with hens moulting - how long does it last? I want my eggs back!!! :(
I don't know but our 3 year old rhodeys stopped laying for 2-3 weeks a couple of week back. Ithought it was their age but they started again i'd forgot about moult.
Dunno, but the hens kept next to my allotment are in a pathetic state, some of them very bald and just seem to be left to get on with it. So a few of us allotmenteers throw food over and bits we think they might like and do they go for it.
Have been told it could be mites but nothing seems to be done for these particular hens. We all feel sorry for them and wish the fella would do something about it.
Torquil
Get him told. Its not fair to the hens nor you watching them.
You are right. Me and many others have commented to him, also the garden representative but to no avail. Maybe it needs taking a step further.
they have started laying again, now back to 5 daily from these 6 hens.
Have they completely re-feathered or are the feathers still coming in?
Mine have very new feathers - they are only about an inch out of the quills but as they were in the moult I haven't built their nest box yet but if it's likely that they will start laying soon then I'll have to get my skates on!
Quote from: SnooziSuzi on October 11, 2007, 20:21:09
Have they completely re-feathered or are the feathers still coming in?
Maybe it was something other than moult. They only lost a few feathers, maybe it was fighting?. Never went bald or anything... Not so sure what caused it now - you've put doubt in my mind about this moulting malarkey - especially if they are meant to go bald . They all appear to have fine feathers. Alls fine now though. That's what counts I guess.
Mine are just feathering up from having gone through the moult. They also don't shiver so much now that the feathers are coming back in!
They lost all the feathers on their necks and chests, around their bums and on their backs. I think that some of the feather loss would have been from bullying though; Mine are still establishing the pecking order and one poor soul keeps getting the brunt of it :'(
It depends on the breed.
My RIR lost quite a few feathers and was off laying for about 3 weeks.
My cochin ( mad chicken!) lost a few feathers over about 2 months and stopped laying for about 2 1/2 months! - I bet she'll go broody again soon!