[moomoos42]

My Gal's have been moulting for about 3 weeks. but they haven't stopped laying!
 is this normal?
 i give them meal worms every day as a treat (handful between 5) and they get either porridge cabbage grapes and kitchen scrapes each day.(not all at the same time!)
They are on ex-bats pellets as 2 are ex-bats and i thought it better to go with their food.
The 2 ex-bats look great next to my girlies, they've got more feathers!
Poor Gytha's bum is bald and red in all the wind we've had.
They have their coop to get in but for some reason don't and prefer to hide behind the coop.
Any ideas as to why they are still laying and can i do anything to help the bald bum situation?! :blink:

[Nicki85]

Two of mine are going through a moult as well... But mine have stopped laying!  One is looking particularly like a half- plucked chicken  She seems fine though, they have a mineral supplement and meal worms like yours.  I think you are just lucky that they are still laying! What breed are they? 

[Casey76]

you may find that they stop laying when their feathers start to grow back in

There isn't anything you can do about the bare bums, I'm afraid.  They feathers will grow back on their own timescale  :blink:

[moomoos42]

Thank you both for your advise. They are hybrid Road Island/ light Sussex.
I've been watching them dust bath for the last half hour and they seem happier for it
It's just so pathetic, bald bits everywhere!! but they seem well enough otherwise so patience is called for?! :blink:

[ANHBUC]

You can make them somewhere to keep out of the wind, old beach windbreak would do the job or large plastic tub laid on its side.  Weigh it down with a bag of compost or something heavy that can't fall on your hens.  Just position it so the wind is blowing at the back of it and your hens will with time shelter in it. :blink:

[moomoos42]

Thanks for that last suggestion ANHBUC ! I have emptied my big planter of compost and turned that on it's side with a bit of hemp bedding inside. They seem to be very pleased with the extra shelter! Great idea :blink:

[ANHBUC]

I empty my planters in the hen enclosure and they love rooting about in it for tasty morsels.   

[peter and jean]

hi there i read your message with interest. this is my first time on this site but i am having similar problems to yourself. daisy has been moulting for what seems like months but she is looking particularly sorry for herself at the moment. her neck and breast are really bare and i noticed this morning as i was cleaning out the coop that she has spots of blood around her neck. i am getting quite worried about her her as she seems quite placid compared to our other hens. she is still feeding but the moulting situation seems to be getting worse. if you receive any good advice i would really appreciate any help you could pass on. many thanks for reading this and i hope you go on ok with your problem. peter

My Gal's have been moulting for about 3 weeks. but they haven't stopped laying!
 is this normal?
 i give them meal worms every day as a treat (handful between 5) and they get either porridge cabbage grapes and kitchen scrapes each day.(not all at the same time!)
They are on ex-bats pellets as 2 are ex-bats and i thought it better to go with their food.
The 2 ex-bats look great next to my girlies, they've got more feathers!
Poor Gytha's bum is bald and red in all the wind we've had.
They have their coop to get in but for some reason don't and prefer to hide behind the coop.
Any ideas as to why they are still laying and can i do anything to help the bald bum situation?! :blink:

[moomoos42]

Hi Peter. I've only had hens myself for a year but it sounds like your poor hen is having her feathers pulled out. that would explain the blood spots. my Sybil is a terror for pulling out feathers and the moult is making her worse. Try getting some genital violet spray which colours them  purple but is antiseptic so helps healing and the taste does seem to put them off pulling feathers.
I hope this helps but i'd post this as your own question as there really are some wonderfully knowledgeable people on here!
Good luck