MY GIRLS SEEM TO HAVE GONE OFF OF THEIR CORN I GIVE IT TO THEM AT ABOUT 3.30 BUT THEY ARE NOT EATING IT THEY ARE MOULTING AS WELL ? ???
Perhaps they are just less active in the cold weather and need less. As long as they are eating something else they should be fine.
First time mine have seen snow as rescue battery hens, I am guessing not impresed with the reception I got this morning.
I have given my some rice this morning as a treat, as they cant seem to get enough of it.
It is normal for chickens to 'go off' from they food while molting. They will still eat but they don't need as much nor they have appetite when they are not laying. Normally they do stop layins while molting as well.
But now it time for you to 'tease' with some food. They will need to eat even withou appetite as they have left their molting a bit late and it is so cold as well.
Perhaps you could try some warm food..mix some layers pellets or mash with warm water and if you have some treats..like peas, sweetcorn, chopped apple etc. to mix in as well they might get more interested to stuff themselves up..and it will give them energy to grow good feathers, keep warm and generally perk them up while weather slow them down ;) If you have some poultry 'vitamins' or similar you can easily mix some of that in same time.
Funnily enough, mine usually throw themselves on their corn which they get about 3pm but they haven't bothered in the past few days.
I wonder if I am filling them up with their hot breakfast - layers mash mixed with porridge oats - which they adore?
Have you given any other extra food?
But, yes, agree moulting makes them generally miserable and off their food, poor things doing it now in artic conditions. :( They need lots of tlc.