A Drop in Egg Production?
If you have layers, it’s likely that you’ve seen a drop in egg production as we’ve moved into fall. You may also have noticed a lot of loose feathers in the coop and either chickens that have fewer feathers than normal or that have lots of pin feathers. This is normal and is part of their annual molt.
Molting is triggered by the changes in lighting that take place this time of year, as the sun sets earlier and rises later each day, moving from summer into winter.
While hens molt, they don’t lay much if at all. They’re putting most of their energy into regrowing feathers. This is part of their normal yearly cycle to get ready for winter and replace broken and worn out feathers with fresh new ones. During this time, they mostly need good quality feed and patience.
DON’T CULL YOUR BIRDS THAT ARE LATEST TO MOLT.
Some of your hens may have started molting earlier than the others. Others may delay as much as 4-6 weeks or even longer before they start their molt and stop laying. Typically some of your best layers will be the last to start their molt, so please don’t cull any non-laying birds at this time. Those late molters will usually molt quickly and then go right on back to laying. That’s part of the reason they’re your best layers.
Once all or nearly all of your hens are back to laying, then would be a more appropriate time to look for any non-laying hens or poor layers that you could pull out of the flock. These older birds make excellent and very nutritious soup, and this is a great way to make more room for new pullets that you may have raised as replacement layers.
Once all or nearly all of your hens are back to laying, then would be a more appropriate time to look for any non-laying hens or poor layers that you could pull out of the flock. These older birds make excellent and very nutritious soup, and this is a great way to make more room for new pullets that you may have raised as replacement layers.
Homestead Fair 2017
The annual Homestead Fair will be Friday and Saturday, November 25-26. We’ll have a Poultry Booth and several free poultry seminars in this years’ Fair. This is a great time to come out and learn more not only about poultry but other facets of homestead living, and enjoy a great time with us. For more information, see:
Poultry Corner at Homestead General Store
We’re planning to work much more closely with the Homestead General store in the coming months and year to offer a more complete solution for anything related to chickens or poultry. Books; the feeders, waterers and other supplies that we’ve been recommending; chickens; and even some training and instruction will all be available through the store. We’ll keep you posted as that unfolds.
In Closing
It’s been a great year, and we have really enjoyed getting to meet so many of you at the Mother Earth News fair, the Homestead Fair and the many Farm Day tours and classes that we had last year. We’re planning to have a booth again at the 2017 Mother Earth News fair in February (in Belton, Texas). We’re also planning to offer more classes, along with some farm tours in the coming year. We look forward to seeing you again at some of these upcoming events.
If you have poultry-related questions, please let us know. We are continuing to work on instructional materials, classes, blog articles and such, so your questions help not only you but us and other people.