Anybody know about chickens? Question!

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

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I've got two chickens, egg laying pets really, tame as anything. BUT, one has had a huge moult over the last few days and is bald as a coot on her back and chest, her wings and tail are pretty sparse too. There are white feathers all over the run! I know they're meant to moult but it seems very late and very extreme, I've had them since chicks and they've never moulted this badly in 2 years. My worry is the cold snap we're having. There are feather stubs underneath the skin but they will take another couple of weeks to come through. I feel like I should put a little jumper on her or something! Any suggestions?
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Leave her to it, make sure she can avoid the wind and drafts though. Ours have moulted terribly this year, and we lost a fair few, seem to be over the worst of now though (so I guess we're due a fox and badger attack to take out the rest!)
 
Ours are moulting but not that badly.... could the other one be picking on her. I would not have thought even a chicken would be so stupid as to shed all the feathers in one go, in this weather!!!
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Has she stopped laying as well, if so, prob moult. Mind you might have packed it in for the winter anyway. Mine have stopped now but the year before last they laid until well after christmas.
 
Mine have stopped laying completely ,they have grit and layers mash and come out and pick around all day , they are 6 years old though and I should probably do away with them but they are pets so they will go on through their normal life.

How long do they live?
 
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Mine have stopped laying completely ,they have grit and layers mash and come out and pick around all day , they are 6 years old though and I should probably do away with them but they are pets so they will go on through their normal life.

How long do they live?

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Not very long, I hope! I look forward to the day our wretched things pop their clogs and I can get some nice chickens. Honestly, I've never known such evil things! Our chickens we've had in the past have been lovely little things, friendly as anything. But even the fox wont touch the ones we have now! If yours are 6 already, mine are only 2, so looks like I've got to put up with them for another 4 years at least!
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My first lot of hens lived till about 8 or 9 but one was at least 11 when she died overnight. They will stop laying in the moult as they need all their energy to produce new feathers. Look at www.practicalpoultry.co.uk for a really good poultry website. You can get lots of practical advice and help on there.
 
make sure they have good acess to shelter, and food and leave well alone, you can add a vitamin supplement to give thm a boost if you like but they will be fine!
 
My ex-battery hens are moulting now, and God knows they had few enough feathers when they arrived a few weeks ago. They looked like RSPCA cases. I'll be knitting them little woolly jumpers at this rate.

But they're still laying, bless their bald little bums.
 
Its normal! Hens moult and go off lay. They will be fine. They can live up to 15 or so naturally, each year they lay less but the eggs are bigger! They do need de -lousing though, I hold them by the feet upside down so the feathers are out, sprinkle them with powder - job done! xx
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Mine enjoy a slice of toast spread with marmite to give them a boost - the marmite is supposed to provide some vitamins. Have a look into their house - you will see loads of little black dots on the floor of the house if there is a bad infestation. But it is unlikely to be mites during such a cold spell - they die off but their eggs survive in the cracks in the henhouse and hatch out in the spring.
 
My barbu d'anvers hen has just gone into full moult, I'm sure your will be fine, I have Necked-necks and they never get cold, what breed is she, their hardyness does vary. Don't try a jumper- yes I have tried it and no the chicken didn't appreciate it.
 
Hee hee I wont be dressing her up then! They have moulted before but never ever like this, its definitely a moult tho as she's stopped laying and it is just her, the other one looks lovely and toasty so pretty sure it isnt mites. Thanks everyone!
 
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