tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post5881834946067719863..comments2023-07-10T01:43:24.380-07:00Comments on Urban Chickens Network blog: molting chickens are ugly chickensAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767145783844206988noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post-18223726749909171792009-02-09T11:36:00.000-08:002009-02-09T11:36:00.000-08:00Hi Cindy, I'm not an expert at this (I welcome oth...Hi Cindy, I'm not an expert at this (I welcome others to weigh in with their own advice), but I'd keep an eye on the black spots on their heads... these may be the pin feathers forming under the skin (see those in the picture on this post). If the feathers don't grow back, and the black spots are moving, well, you just might have mites. <BR/><BR/>Anyone else have something else to offer?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13767145783844206988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post-22424565594090447062009-02-09T11:10:00.000-08:002009-02-09T11:10:00.000-08:00My Rhode Island Red Hens are about one year's old....My Rhode Island Red Hens are about one year's old. I noticed yesterday that half of them have lost their feathers on top of their heads. Also, there is a couple of black spots on their heads too. Are they molting or do you think they have mites?Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236984751954931931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post-65578084738944012532009-01-29T10:01:00.000-08:002009-01-29T10:01:00.000-08:00I am very much a chicken-newbie. I raised some in...I am very much a chicken-newbie. I raised some in the fall of '07 for 12 weeks for meat. Currently I have 21...a mix of Speckled Sussex and Partridge Rock. They came to me a day old from a hatchery in March '08, so are now 10 mos old. They started laying in mid-September, and I get a dozen eggs a day, more or less. I have been so consumed monitoring legs and feet for cracking in this extremely cold upstate NY weather that I just noticed yesterday that a few of them are bald on their necks under their chin. I read on the original post that molting usually starts on the head and works it's way back. This was my exact question I was looking for the answer to when I googled on this site! Is it normal that they molt now, in the dead of winter? Is there any "normal" time it is supposed to occur?Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12840013483392279554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post-70884433638250089012008-12-20T09:25:00.000-08:002008-12-20T09:25:00.000-08:00Hi xben, we've got two chickens and only one is mo...Hi xben, we've got two chickens and only one is molting. So, egg production is cut in half around here (is weird buying eggs at the store again). Can't imagine what it'd be like to have 15 chickens laying... you must be flooded in eggs!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13767145783844206988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post-33942837583425254302008-12-20T08:46:00.001-08:002008-12-20T08:46:00.001-08:00Hi, you said egg laying dropped to 1 per day, do y...Hi, you said egg laying dropped to 1 per day, do you have more chickens then 1? cause chickens will only lay one per day even when put under a light, they will only lay about 1.5 a day. Just wondering cause I keep my 15 hens on free range and get about 8 to 10 eggs a day. You wont get more then one egg a day per chicken.xbenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14600683382145746960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post-22561695994010955192008-12-20T08:46:00.000-08:002008-12-20T08:46:00.000-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.xbenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14600683382145746960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post-45892052737676322762008-12-01T23:27:00.000-08:002008-12-01T23:27:00.000-08:00black oil sunflower seeds are good for protein as ...black oil sunflower seeds are good for protein as well and my chickens love them!ylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13689192911653927879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post-14311799642712107072008-11-25T19:33:00.000-08:002008-11-25T19:33:00.000-08:00I love your blog! When my girls molt I throw in so...I love your blog! When my girls molt I throw in some small sized dry cat food for them. They need to get as much protein as they can get. A little scrambled egg will help too.<BR/><BR/>I was tagged and thought this would be a great way to get to know others. I had to pick 6 people to tag, so I chose you as one :) If you'd like to participate pop by my blog for instructionsCrazy Chicken Ladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14633337766365729459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post-87461592356595577392008-11-24T18:20:00.000-08:002008-11-24T18:20:00.000-08:00I only have one hen who is seriously molting, and ...I only have one hen who is seriously molting, and she's lost most of the feathers on her head and neck and all but two of her tail feathers. Other than that, she's completely feathered, no bare patches. She looks awfully strange, though, kind of vulture-ish. Poor thing. <BR/><BR/>I haven't had a single egg for the last month. Last year they started up again pretty early, though, so I'm hoping I won't have to keep buying eggs for that long. (shudder)Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16473311792045688123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post-6580530061435735992008-11-24T17:25:00.000-08:002008-11-24T17:25:00.000-08:00My hens have also started molting, although not as...My hens have also started molting, although not as dramatically as Sophia. Maisy is the worst right now: her underside is basically bare. And with temps in the dropping as low as 18F some nights, I feel very sorry for her. But, she seems to be doing OK. All I can say about the lot of them is they look...raggedy! Although this has affected egg production, it hasn't been so bad. I've had one day this week where I got only 1 egg. On all the other days I've continued to get 2-3 from my 3 ladies. They are super stars!Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08767604828307174133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680664903011977089.post-9503178228910335962008-11-24T16:29:00.000-08:002008-11-24T16:29:00.000-08:00My girls finished moulting a couple days ago, havi...My girls finished moulting a couple days ago, having started in late September (you can see their egg production stop on <A HREF="http://www.aboutus.org/Steven's_Egg_Record_2008" REL="nofollow">my wiki egg log</A>). <BR/><BR/>They were a little stressed for sure, and some moulted more completely than others (one hardly had any patches where I could see the pin feathers at all). I tried to make it easier on them, and fed them extra scraps and treats. <BR/><BR/>If it is already getting cold when they're moulting (like it does here in pdx), I'd feed them some cracked corn in their ration. It decreases productivity, but helps them keep warm, ostensibly.<BR/><BR/>Now I'm wondering if they'll start laying again at all before spring...Steven Wallinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00700832436199142664noreply@blogger.com