[Julia and the girls]

We have 4 hens (two are 2+years old, two are 1 year old), and over the last 2-3 weeks they have all stopped laying completely, been moulting (one down to bare skin on her back and leg), virtually stopped eating not even their favourites, and become a bit subdued (where as they always used to come out to greet us when we went into the garden).  Is this normal please?  Are the four things related/ interconnected?  Why should they all follow this pattern?

Hope some people can share knowledge or experience.  have we done something wrong?  Are they poorly and its spread to them all?

Many thanks
Julia

[joyfull]

perfectly normal depending on their breeds. Winter is the time of the year when most birds moult either fully or partially. Your younger birds may be going through just a partial moult and once this is over they may resume laying, but any going through a full moult will keep you waiting until the daylight hours start to get longer again. It takes lots of energy to grow new feathers and really takes it out of them which is why they channel all their energy into this rather than laying eggs 

[Prod]

Mine are exactly the same  only 2 of 6 laying and then not every day and some look half plucked!!!   I took them some apple today which they usually go mad for but no interest and they seem 'grumpy'  especially Thatcher my cockerel.........

[Julia and the girls]

Thank you.  Seems normal then and I shouldn't worry.  Glad you said that one of yours looks like it has been plucked.  Ours does too, with little spines sticking out still.  The two older ones are a white Sussex and a Black something cross (amybe beginning with M??)!!  The younger ones are silkies, and one of the silkies has laid today - Hooray!!

[Prod]

Its a bit like the ugly duckling.....  my ancona was virtually bald and now  she is absolutely stunning!!!

[ANHBUC]

Thank you.  Seems normal then and I shouldn't worry.  Glad you said that one of yours looks like it has been plucked.  Ours does too, with little spines sticking out still.  The two older ones are a white Sussex and a Black something cross (amybe beginning with M??)!!  The younger ones are silkies, and one of the silkies has laid today - Hooray!!

These are the new feather quills coming through.  They don't like being handled when they are like this as it is painful for them.   

[themagicaltoad1]

Out of 10 hens we are getting the grand total of 1 egg a day at the minute

[Nicki85]

Sounds about right... three out of my four are moulting at the moment!  Feel so sorry for them it's horrible and raining and they are loosing their feathers poor things!

[Julia and the girls]

Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone. 
Julia

[SurreyLass]

My darling Sussex is moulting too - she looks a bit of a state, and stopped laying nearly 3 weeks ago now!

[Sassy]

It can help when they are moulting to use a supplement such as Poultry Spice. Some people use a non-meat flavoured cat food to help