[Catsmuvva]

My Speckled Sussex is looking very tatty at the moment as she is going through a moult. I managed to catch her today to check her over (she's very nervous & doesn't like being caught, we're working on it...) and her new feathers are coming through, but I also notice she's lost a lot of weight. She's had loose droppings for a while but is eating the same as the others. I've recently wormed all the girls and as I was a bit late doing them I repeated it 3 weeks later.
Any idea what could be the cause of the weight loss & runny poo?
Thanks, Anne

[henamoured]

My moulting chx are the same - lost loads of weight. My welsummer has completely gone off mixed corn which she used to practically mug me for. She also had runny, sort of granulated poo for a couple of weeks. I was wondering whether to try anti bios but they've gone back to normal in the last few days. Think it must be the hormonal(?) changes that trigger the moult in the first place.

[Catsmuvva]

I was wondering if they were linked at all, so hopefully it will just be that simple, a/b's would present a real problem with her! First catch your chicken.....

[viettaclark]

Mine are the same....they used to love their mealworms, now they look at me as if to say  They've become greens maniacs.
Runny poo off and on, no eggs, dull pink comb, poor appetite. Mind you...a couple of mine could do with losing some weight!
My White Star, who has finished moulting, is looking very trim with her bright, clean, new feathers and sleek outline. Won't last long...she likes a good dirt bath and mud scratch does Lulu....

[peter rooster]

Mine marans have just started to moult . Thy looked so good I thought there had been a murder when I saw all the feathers on the dropping board. I did not expect the feathers to fall out as fast!. Got traumatised hens as I have put a tin roof on run instead of mesh. They are reluctant to come out. Day six NO EGGS

Why do they moult when the weather is getting cold would have tought Sept best then they would have feather coat for winter.

[Ma Lowe]

Unfortunately it is all to do with their moulting. When they lose their feathers all their energy foes into producing new ones and keeping warm hence the loss in weight and the no egg syndrome.
Mine are just starting to look lovely again with all their feathers returning. Yesterday was the first day in nearly 18 months of keeping chickens that we had NO eggs .... it was  a shock I can tell you lol. 

[R_A_W]

how old do hens have to be when they start to moult? and is there a particular time of year when they do it?

[joyfull]

They can do mini moults in their first year but during this time they can still lay. Hens in their second year are more likely to go into a full blown moult - some more noticeable than others as some do a bit at a time and others just seem to look oven ready one morning. The full moult generally happens over winter as this would be a warmer time when they were jungle fowls.
I have some that have now started to come out of their moult so my eggs are now creeping up 

[Knight Family]

I have some that have now started to come out of their moult so my eggs are now creeping up 

Lucky!!! I've had to buy some (Still free range from a work frieind!)