moulting? not sure

sued · « **on:** September 20, 2008, 08:10 »

hi my girls are now 23 weeks old and the 2 new arucanas are about 8 months old. the arucanas are not laying at the moment, one had been kept in with a cockerel and she has lost a few feathers from her back.
at the moment i have loads of feathers in the run and over the grass in the garden and they appear to be coming from most of the chucks. My original girls are all sussex and they have not laid yet either. If this is moulting will they lay soon or will I have to wait until next year, also if the arucanas were laying and have now stopped when should I expect these to lay again.
getting desperate for eggs as we owe loads of favors to hubbies friends who donated wood and stuff for the hen house etc and they are all wanting payment in our eggs lol
sue

mother hen · « **Reply #1 on:** September 21, 2008, 08:37 »

Hi sued, sorry your eggies in short supply, hope things look up soon, only had chickens for just over a year myself so hope someone comes along soon who can advise you better.

I presume they are on layers pellets, not too many treats, I think you can overfeed chickens, also if if you have introduced new chucks they might be concentrating on the pecking order.

Think that these things affect egg laying

richyrich7 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2008, 09:35 »

The sussex I wouldn't have thought they would be moulting at 23 weeks they should just about thinking of laying, the Arucanas are 32 weeks I would have thought been laying by now.

What are you feeding ? like Mother hens says it's possible to over feed and fat hens lay less or no eggs. If they where mine I'd be feeding only layers and nothing else for a few weeks to see what happens.

Moult usually lasts 6 about weeks I think.

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