Helping your chicken through their moult

Help your chickens through their moult

A chicken moulting is usually a surprise for most Poultry keepers, but it’s nothing to be afraid of. During a moult chickens shed their old warn out feathers and replace them with nice new ones.

Why do they moult?

Chickens will moult when there is less hours of light in the day, when their laying cycle has finished or when they are under stress. Moulting gives their reproductive system time to rest and gives them new feathers for the winter.

What to expect

Feathers are 80-85% protein so making a whole new batch of them isn’t easy. Your chickens will stop laying as they won’t have enough protein to produce eggs, they may lose weight and look sick and you can see a behavioural change – expect a moody chicken. The most obvious one is your chicken plucking its feathers; this is part of the process so nothing to worry about.

How can I help?

 It’s all about getting lots of protein into you chickens to give them the energy they need. Make sure the food you use is at least 16% protein and supplement this with high protein extras like sunflower seeds. Dried cat food is also an old favourite with poultry keepers as it’s really high in protein. Apple Cider Vinegar is also really helpful as its packed full of vitamins.