Losing feathers...is this a seasonal thing or should I worry?!

[misspollysdolly]

My two lovely barred plymouth rock hens have quite suddenly lost most of the feathers round their necks. One of the pair lost quite a bit from her tummy during the summer but seemed none the worse for wear and we put it down to a bit of broodiness that would clear when she cooled off a bit.

They have both just ceased laying for the winter months. Is it normal for chickens to moult like this at this time of year (we have only had them since July) or should I be doing something to help them?? They both seem very fit and healthy otherwise.

[daisycat01]

My battery hens ahve started moulting and we havent had any eggs for a week now... am also new to chicken keeping!

[misspollysdolly]

that's relatively encouraging. Nothing else abnout them worries me - I'd just assumed they were growing in some warmer feathers or something. Just arrived back from a few days away to find two barred plymouth rock vultures in the back garden

[ladytophamhatt]

6/8 of our chickens look like moth eaten fleabags because of their lack of feathers.

I#ve tried all sorts to rememdy it but I think i just have to accept that we're just going to have fleabag chickens.

They look bloody awful though.....

[ladytophamhatt]

actually that is what worried me, afew are sooooo motheaten I'm sure they will freeze in the winter.

[daisycat01]

Whats poultry spice??!!

[MarmadukeScarletbloodstains]

I give mine poultry spice daily in their feed. 1 teaspoon with the pellets.

Daisy it is powder, chickens vitamins I suppose.

I also give apple cider vinegar (at 20% I think but done take my word for it, it is written on the side of bottle!) one week per month.

None of mine are molting so far, or off lay had 8 eggs from 9 chooks today although only 7 yesterday.

I didn't think my youngest would moult, but even my 3 yr old hasn't lost any feathers - I don't know what she has done previously as I've only had her a few months.

[GentleGarotter]

When our lot moult -which they did a few weeks ago- we take them off layers pellets and put them on to a corn/wheat feed with some cider vinegar in the drinking water.
We won't get any eggs now until the end of January/mid Feb but they need a break from laying plus moulting takes a lot out of them and they need the energy to let the new feathers come back in.

A little extra calcium would do no harm either (oyster shell)

[MarmadukeScarletbloodstains]

So, is there something wrong with mine that they haven't moulted? I'm wat further south than you Garotter (if you are who I think you are) so we still have reasonable amounts of daylight.

[GentleGarotter]

Yes Marmaduke, ours moulted really early this year (here in the wilds of Perthshire) but it had been exceptionally cold, wet and dark.
In one way it is quite good because they are all fully feathered now and able to plump up a bit.

[daisycat01]

My chickens were rescue batterys so have only just got their feathers back!
I have bought some corn maize and more oyster shell so will top them up with that.

[GentleGarotter]

daisy - maybe I'm just a mad sentimental old twit but I gave our rescue hens some Bach Rescue Remedy in their water to help them get over the shock of being in a battery hen house.
i swear that it helped them after a while.

[conkertree]

so for a novice hen keeper - how long do the new feathers take to grow back in - I am another one worried that they will be very cold without all their feathers in this weather.

2 have lost quite a lot of feathers, and one is absolutely fine so I wonder if she is also pecking at the other 2?

[MarmadukeScarlet]

My 3 yr old Marran has started to moult horrifically - as I stroked her they were coming out in handfuls! Isn't it a bit late for this? None of mine moulted this year (first autumn/winter of chooks) so have no idea what to expect.

She hasn't layed for a few days - we were away on hols before Thurs, so don't know when she stopped.

She still seems to be eating fine, the only thing that looks odd on her is her legs are both very scaly - I have always put this down to her age? There are overgrown scales in exactly the same place on both legs (front above foot) with no redness or weeping.

She is still lively enough that it took several goes for me to catch her and she was a pain to hold - I have only had her since the summer was not handled that much before.