[francais]

Can anyone tell me how long a moult goes on for please? My light sussex girls look like so scratty and their pen looks like there has been an explosion in a cushion factory!

One girl in particular looks such a state!!! I feel so sorry for her! Is this normal?

Thanks.

[amj]

Hi Francais

what a great word 'scratty' what on earth does that mean!
My mother is from stoke        and in all her years i've never heard that one
tara a bit ' tony...... by the way my light sussex looks the same at the mo
but is very well ...

[francais]

Lol Thanks "scratty" is like ragged (think dragged through a hedge look  )

Glad it's not just mine then  :happy:

[Lindeggs]

This is perfectly normal in autumn/winter but you can't help feeling sorry for the poor dears!  As for how long it will take, there is a huge variation in timing.  Some hens will moult very fast and very dramatically, then get back to laying as soon as it's over.  Others will lose a patch of feathers here and there over a long period of time, so it might be many months before she is done!

Just keep them warm and well-fed, and wait patiently for them to start looking like cared-for hens again instead of an old feather duster!