HOW MANY FEATHERS CAN A HEN MOULT

Hi

I have 5 marans four have shed feathers by the bucket full but have kept some on their body. One has lost nearly all , the new feathers starting to come through but are still like biro refills. It is also the one that spends most time outside. I have checked the body for creepy crawlies but can see nothing. Is ther anything I can do or feed to help recovery? should I dust her with mite flee louce powder? How long before she regains all plumage?


peter rooster

I wouldn't worry last year 4 of our ex batts looked like they needed cling film and a supermarket shelf.  I had a clothes drier in an outside shed that I used to put on twice a day but OH said it really didn't make a difference!!.  They are very hardy as long as they are fed well.  Good luck my friend.

Mine like poultry spice added to their food when they go through a moult. I know that pigeon fanciers and showers of all sorts of birds use it so improve plumage.  It's been around for a very long time so it must be ok. It's basically a mixture of curry spices and is completely natural. You just add it to the food as described on the tin    I did give one of my girls some tuna in spring water as she went off her legs during a complete moult at the height of the cold spell last winter. She had no feathers on and I think she had used up her reserves and just buckled under it all. Bless. I gave her some limestone flour too as had been recommended.  She was fine and her new feathers came through beautifully

Hi

Thank you for the tips , I will try and get some poultry spice and see if that perks her up. Good news today the two new hans have started to lay nice dark brown eggs . Laying outside  :nowink:but hopefully they will start to use the nest boxes inside.

peter rooster

one of mine has recently malted lasted about three wks but she is fine now  :)and another one has started, they must have thousands of feathers .