competition

Enjoy our Forums, full of friendly discussion & advice. Use our Free Ads & comment on this week's topic - Your birds.

Anything to help with moulting?

Fri, Jul 31 2009 11:45am BST 1
ScarlettBuffy
ScarlettBuffy
104 Posts
One of my hens is having her first proper moult with her under side looking very bald. Just wondered if there was anything I could give her to help with the process? She's still laying, is her usual energetic self, but quite bad tempered towards the other birds. Last year she had a partial moult, and it didn't seem as noticable.
Fri, Jul 31 2009 05:04pm BST 2
Kelloggs
Kelloggs
78 Posts

Mine have Macrovit which I get from the vets to give them the extra vitamins they need and hard boiled or scrambled egg for the protien they need for new feather growthSmile 

Mon, Aug 3 2009 09:16am BST 3
ScarlettBuffy
ScarlettBuffy
104 Posts
I'll see if I can get some Macrovit from the Vet, as it's probably much better than the Life-Guard tonic I use at the moment. I'm sure Angel would love some eggs. Never known such a greedy hen, she ate half a melon to herself yesterday while the others were crowded round the other half Laughing
Mon, Aug 3 2009 03:27pm BST 4
Diane A
Diane A
39 Posts
I give mine chick crumb mixed with boiled egg once a day when they are in heavy moult.
Tue, Aug 4 2009 11:41am BST 5
ScarlettBuffy
ScarlettBuffy
104 Posts
Never thought of giving her chick crumb, good idea managed to pull my poorly ex batt through Winter with chick crumb & boiled egg, so will give it a try Smile
Mon, Aug 10 2009 11:55am BST 6
Cheepers
Cheepers
1 Posts
There's a new stuff out called KeepWell that is designed specially for ex-batts and chooks that are moulting. I tried it on my girls when we moved house recently 'cos I thought they might be a bit stressed. It went down a treat and I noticed that their eggs improved. It says it is high in calcium so I s'pose thats why.
It's made by the same people that make Verm-x poultry liquid and is totally herbal which I really like.
Mon, Aug 10 2009 03:31pm BST 7
ScarlettBuffy
ScarlettBuffy
104 Posts
Thanks, I'll have a look for it the next time I'm in the poultry supply shop.
Thu, Jan 20 2011 12:51pm GMT 8
Polly
Polly
6 Posts
Hi, I acquired my little mixed flock of 4 (then 20 week old POL) in March and the Blue Maran is in moult. I have been giving them all a little chopped eggs and dried meal worms in an attempt to up their protein intake and will try the Keepwell mentioned above.

Just before she started to moult, I noticed that her usually blue feathers had taken on a slightly pink/buff cast. After a period with most of her chest, bum and legs being completely naked, she has now started to grow through new, gleaming almost metallic steel grey/blue feathers, (TBH it puts me in mind of a coat of armour) BUT her neck, head and parts of her tail are still the old and now distinctly scruffy looking old plumage.

As this is my first experience of a moult I wanted to ask - am I right in assuming that new quills will push out the old feathers, and I don't need to worry? And about when should I expect to need to trim her new flight feathers? I have read that in a mixed flock the girls will take it in turn to moult, and I have noticed a change in the lustrousness of the Silver Sussex's plumage - it seems to have become a tad "fluffier". Any suggestions, observations and advice, tips or wrinkles gratefully received!
Wed, Mar 16 2011 09:32am GMT 9
Birdman
Birdman
3 Posts
Hi in my experience when the hens are in full moult just keep them on a high protien feed and some poultry spice if you like,although the poultry spice is optional.I always hang a green cabbage in my chicken aviary because I try to give the ground a rest in the winter.If you have a local street or sunday market you can usually get these at a fraction of the price in the shops. All I would say is that birds moult out in sequence and as along as they are well fed and watered nature will do the rest.As an aside if your hen has dropped most of her feathers in one go,it usually means they are a good layer. Hope this helps

Please login or sign up to post on this network.
Click here to sign up.

Latest Forum Posts

About UsMembersAdvertisingFeedbackContact UsTermsPrivacyReport Content
All you need to know about Chickens & Poultry. From beginners guides to hatching & incubation, rearing & how to keep chickens, to show results & photos. Of course our Forums as well for answers to any questions. Which ever part of the hobby interests you, we cover it all!
All content Copyright © 2011 Poultry Talk. Com. All rights reserved. No content to be reproduced without permission from the author. All views expressed are those of the authors only & may not necessarily be those shared by Poultry Talk. com or it's administrators.