[dakota]

I've had my 5 chooks a year now,and I have  what is turning out to be a concern fo me. 3 of the hens moulted,  what seems to be months ago.One of them a Light Sussex as grown most of her feathers back,but the other 2 a R.I.R. and a Bovan Nera are still bare around the tail and also on the breast and show no sign of growth.The three of them are eating well  they seem sprightly and look in good health e.g. dry eyes and nostrils,but I've still got the feeling that alls not well. I've wormed them at what I believed to be the right time.I inspect them at regular intervals at least once a week for lice etc  when I give the house a good clean, I scrub their feed and water containers every day. Like I've said they seem o.k. scratting about in the soil and they're  out in the run from 5am till 9pm. so any answers would be very assuring.
                                 Best Wishes to you all
                                                                  Edward

[nettynoodles1]

oh sorry cant help on this one other than  say have  you tried poulrty spice or silmilar which helps them over moults and have  you checked that they arent pecking each other?!
sure someone will be along soon with better advice
jeanette

[Jellyhead]

The bare breast could be a sign praps that they are getting ready to become broodies maybe :roll: but not sure about the other nude bits :oops:  :oops:

[Foxy]

If you have eliminated any lice/mites or pecking, I was wondering if they are all still laying? If they are they may need supplements as it takes a lot nutrition-wise to produce an egg as well as grow new feathers. The longer days and warm weather will also have stimualting their laying season. This may also be the case if they went through a slow moult early this year.
What has been recommended to help birds lay/get through moult is, cod liver oil -now I think its one teaspoon a week? (Aunty knows this though!)
extra calcium in the form of oyster shell or baked egg shells(this will help with laying) I give a little extra protein in the form of chopped boiled egg-spefically when moulting- and I think Aunty recommends cat food or a tin of tuna.
Hope this helps!
Oh if they are broody -will make growling noises and puff up with a really hot breast!!  

[dakota]

thanks for the replies re my chooks moulting.They're still laying,I'm getting 3 eggs a day sometimes 4,so that seems ok.Today when I fed them a treat,I mixed a teaspoon of cod liver oil in. I've also been adding cyder vinegar to their water each day for a while now,as I read on the forum a few months back that it was a good tonic for them. They also have grit/oyster shell adlib. Regarding the cod liver oil,how much should i give them and how often.
                                      Best Wishes to you all
                                                                          Edward

[Foxy]

Edward, I will give Aunty a shout for you ...(shes a bit deaf you know..whisper)

AUNTIE HOW MUCH COD LIVER OIL SHOULD YOU GIVE PLEASE!!!!

   

[ck2day]

Edward, I will give Aunty a shout for you ...(shes a bit deaf you know..whisper)

AUNTIE HOW MUCH COD LIVER OIL SHOULD YOU GIVE PLEASE!!!!

   

She's obviously got her "deaf head" on

       

[Aunt Sally]

:shock: I was just having a snooze  

Just a couple of drops of cod liver oil each about once a week dears  

[Kate and her Ducks]

Don't know about chickens but when my ducks moulted one of them ended up almost entirely bald of her proper feathers, with just some patches of down, that she sank in the pond. Luckally it is shallow but I don't know how long she had been stood on the bottom with just her head and neck above the surface when I came hame from work. Had to fish her out and blow dry her as she seemed frozen to the bone!!! Amazing how fluffy they go when you blow dry them, not that I would recommend it! she feathered up pretty quickly but took her a while to get back to laying.  

[Foxy]

:shock: I was just having a snooze  

Just a couple of drops of cod liver oil each about once a week dears  

Afternoon Auntie!!

Was wondering if you'd misplaced your trumpet!!!!  

[peggyprice]

:shock: I was just having a snooze  

Just a couple of drops of cod liver oil each about once a week dears  

Afternoon Auntie!!

Was wondering if you'd misplaced your trumpet!!!!  

You do like to live dangerously, don't you Foxy ?  :wink: