Baby Chickens for Sale in Williamsburg, West Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Williamsburg, West Virginia
Are My Chickens Molting?
Are My Chickens Molting?
Want to learn how to be more self-sufficient, raise animals, and garden on a city lot? and get a free, printable goat care calendar!
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means we can earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. We greatly appreciate your support! *It looked like chicken carnage in the coop. There were feathers everywhere, and my heart sunk. I quickly did head count. Everyone was present and accounted for, thank goodness! Now to figure out whose feathers were everywhere, and why. A little more investigation gave me the answer: the chickens were molting.
The first time my hens started molting I started freaking out. I thought they were sick or hurt or something. Thankfully molting is perfectly normal and all they really need is extra protein added in their diet. Unfortunately, while molting they stop laying because all available resources are being used for making feathers, not eggs. Bummer!
Why are my chickens molting?
Usually adult hens of around eighteen months old begin to molt in the fall when the number of daylight hours decreases, but stress, or withholding feed or water can trigger a molt at other times as well, and they also molt after being broody, (which is a sort of nature imposed withholding of food, I suppose). If you use a lamp in your coop to extend daylight hours, suggests leaving it off for six weeks during the fall or winter will help your birds completely finish a molt and start laying again at top production. Just be careful with your timing so that you don’t leave your birds without protection if they go through a hard molt in extra chilly weather!
How long will this take?
If you raised your birds from chicks you may have noticed them molting when they lose their downy feathers in that awkward gangly stage around 4 weeks. They have another molt around sexual maturity at about 20 weeks, although, that can vary depending on the breed. These molts are not quite as dramatic as the annual molts, which .
Chickens molting always progresses in the same order from the head, then down the neck, the body, wings, and lastly the tail. Your chicken should actually never be completely bald when molting because the new feathers emerging is what pushes out the old feathers. If your bird has bald spots, especially near the vent that’s NOT molting, it’s something else like mites or other chickens being aggressive.
You can actually tell by looking at the flight feathers how long your bird has been molting and how much longer it will take. Better Hens and Gardens has a explaining the order and how to tell the timing. If you have a bird that starts molting early, and drops only one flight feather at a time it will take longer to complete her molt. If you have a bird that starts her molt later. then loses multiple feathers at a time she will finish faster) and get back to laying breakfast faster as well).
What should I do?
You can help out your chickens during their molt by providing them with high quality protein foods. Feathers are made of protein, so it takes a lot of it for them to manufacture new ones. Some birds may even be able to continue laying if they are getting enough nutrients, although not all will do so. Drop low protein snacks and filler foods, and up the quantity of protein. Some good ideas are mealworms, black oil sunflower seeds, scrambled eggs, cat food, diary products like yogurt, and tuna or other fish.
The newly growing feather are very sensitive. They emerge through a shaft that can bleed quite profusely if damaged, so try not to handle your birds as much as possible, and be very gentle when you must pick them up. It’s also a good idea to limit their stress as much as possible. When your chickens are molting is not a good time to introduce new flock members or move to a new home. Let them regain their dignity first!
Sources: Utah State Extension: from The Frugal Chicken (molting specifically mentioned starting at 3:53) If you have ducks (I’m so jealous!), from 104 Homestead from Grit from The Cape Coop
If you are planning to make a purchase, clicking through the affiliate links below will cost you nothing, but help support the blog! Thanks!
You May Also Like:
Baby Chickens By Mail in Williamsburg, West Virginia
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Williamsburg West Virginia, including Sussex Chickens, Welsummer Chickens, Turken Chickens and more. Be sure to check out the Bargain Specials, as you can combine different egg layers in smaller amounts and buy as an assortment. Williamsburg West Virginia also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in Williamsburg West Virginia, bantams for sale, ducks for sale, geese for sale, turkeys for sale, guinea for sale, peafowl for sale, pheasant for sale, chukar partridge for sale, bobwhite for sale, many different breeds of baby chicks for sale in Williamsburg WV.Baby Chicks Baby Chickens in Williamsburg, West Virginia
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Williamsburg West Virginia catalog is a yearly traditions in many houses. My kids and I eagerly await the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog. We love looking at all the cool and different chicken breeds available. Catalogs are free so head on over to their site and request one if you are interested.Typically hatcheries online offer both standard breeds
and bantams. Bantams are fun hardy little chickens, they lay tiny eggs
that kids especially love collecting. Bantams typically weigh less than 2
pounds when full grown. Just like ordering anything online there are pros
and cons to ordering baby chicks online. Pros of buying baby chicks in
Williamsburg West Virginia * Big Selection - If you are wanting a large
variety of different chicken breeds and egg colors, you will find the best
selection at an online hatchery. * Both Bantams and full sized chickens
available * You get to choose what sex you want. If you want a mixture of
both male and female then choosing a "straight run" will save you money
and you will get a mixture of male and female chicks. You can also choose
all males or all females too. * Weekly specials. Hatcheries have sales on
chicks, you are likely to get a good deal if you are flexible with the
breeds you are wanting. Cons of buying baby chicks in Williamsburg
West Virginia * Order early to get the best selection. Certain breeds sell
out fast, sometimes as early as 6 months in advance of shipping! If you
are wanting a certain breed it's best to order your chicks in the fall
before their orders sell out.
Baby Chicks Gender in Williamsburg, West Virginia
Quantity - you must order a certain number of chicks. Typically hatcheries will require you buy a minimum of 25 chicks at a time. The number is necessary for the chicks survival during shipping. All 25 chicks are put in one small box without heat. They are crowded in the box and produce enough body heat to arrive in good shape. * The wait - If you choose to buy chicks from a feed store you will have them the same day but if you choose to go with a hatchery you have to wait until they are ready to ship and then wait for the chicks to arrive. Ordering baby chicks online in Williamsburg West Virginia is easy and has always been a very pleasant experience of me. It can be a little frustrating waiting for the chicks but it's so worth the wait. When the post office calls and you hear all those little "cheeps" or "chirps" in the background you'll know the wait was worth it! How to Care for your new baby chickens in Williamsburg, West Virginia Baby chicks are quite cute and also difficult to stand up to, yet it's ideal to prepare for their arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare first by gathering not just the correct products, but also the appropriate expertise to take care of them. Raising baby chicks is relatively easy, you just have to offer them with the following: A clean and also warm habitat Lots of food and also water Focus and love Habitat Your habitat can be an easy box, fish tank, cat carrier, or guinea porker cage. Line it with old towels and coverings (without any loosened strings!) to start, as well as after a few weeks make use of straw over paper. Note: Avoid making use of only newspaper or various other sandal surfaces-- or your chicks legs can expand misshapen. You likewise need something to provide food and water in, such as a chicken feeder and water meal from the feed shop, or a pickle container cover for food and also a family pet bird water dispenser from an animal shop. Additionally, as the chicks get older you could present a perch right into the environment to get them trained on perching. Heat To maintain your chicks heat you need to offer them with a heat resource. This can be as straightforward as a 100 watt light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from a hardware shop, or an infrared reptile warmth bulb likewise work very well (my recommendation). Chicks need this warmth 24/7 until their downy fluff is replaced with plumes (which can occupy to 2 months). The freshly hatched require a temperature level between 90 as well as 100 levels, and weekly this can be lowered by around 5 levels or so. The warmth resource should get on just one side of the cage to permit chicks a range of temperatures. The chicks are your ideal thermostat- if they are hiding in the opposite corner of your heat light, you have to lower the temperature. If they are surrounding each various other under the warmth (not simply snuggling), you need to put some warmth. Housekeeping Tidiness is key and it keeps your chicks healthy and balanced. Make certain to change the bed linen often and consistently give tidy food and also water Food and water. Chicks expand really quickly which requires a lot of tidy food and water. Offer sufficient at all times and examine commonly to stop thirsty and also starving chicks. Chick food is various compared to grown-up chicken food, and also it is available in both medicated and non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the very first 2 months, after that switch to a raiser food (~ 17 % protein) for another 2 months, and then to a somewhat reduced protein feed or a layer feed (if you have levels). Soil Some chicks prefer to get a running start on taking filth baths, while others won't occupy that activity till they are older. If you have the room in your chick enclosure, present a tray of sand or filth for them to wash in. Focus and also love There are a few advantages to spending time with your chicks. First off, they will most likely bond with you and also not flee as grownups. Second, if you analyze your chicks daily and also enjoy their habits, you could catch illness or other issues earlier. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or other undesirable signs. Be sure to also take a look at their poop, as diarrhea can result in matted feathers and clogged cloaca. Finally, it is very important to keep an eye out for social problems, such as the smallest chick getting picked on. Vacant nest disorder So your chicks are currently fully feathery as well as its time for them to leave the security of your residence and also relocate outside into a coop. Check out our area on chicken cages to get more information about cages as well as proper cage environments.Baby Chicks Raising Baby Chicks Order
More Posts
Baby Chickens for Sale in Drennen, West Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Wileyville, West Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Hewett, West Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Hensley, West Virginia
Baby Chickens for Sale in Follansbee, West Virginia