{"product_id":"moulting-chickens","title":"VERM X POULTRY ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR 1 L","description":"\u003cdiv data-cc-animate=\"\" class=\"container cc-animate-init -in cc-animate-complete\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"page-header cf\"\u003e\n\u003ch1 class=\"majortitle\"\u003eHow to help your chickens through a moult\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"article\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"container\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-cc-animate=\"\" class=\"rte cf spaced-row cc-animate-init -in cc-animate-complete\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the evenings shorten and the weather begins to turn, you might find that your chickens have stopped laying and have begun to moult. This shouldn’t be a cause for concern, it is an annual occurrence for most birds and is a basic part of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/verm-x.com\/blogs\/news\/a-beginners-guide-to-keeping-chickens\"\u003echicken keeping\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDepending on the age of your birds, they may have also had a moult in the springtime. For young birds, a springtime moult is often limited to the neck, especially in the case of your point-of-lay (POL) pullets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis early neck moult can be exacerbated by giving your POL birds a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/verm-x.com\/collections\/poultry-ducks-fowl\/products\/verm-x-original-layers-pellets-for-poultry-ducks-fowl?variant=41955464478905\"\u003eLayers Ration\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003etoo early on in life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen do chickens start moulting?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn average\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bhwt.org.uk\/hen-health\/learn-about-hens\/moulting\/\"\u003ea moult\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewill take between 8 and 12 weeks and usually runs from September to November.  Whilst your chickens may not look particularly attractive during the moulting process, it is actually very good for them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour hens will be able to shed any damaged or loose feathers and replace them with a glossy new set, in time for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou should find that the moulting process is gradual but there can be some hens that will lose all their feathers in one go, which really is quite a sight to behold!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTips for moulting chickens\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are our top tips to make sure that your hens have a speedy, healthy moult:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSupplements are important\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is very normal to find that egg production slows during the moulting process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour hens require a tremendous amount of protein and calcium to make a new set of feathers. They will divert the protein and calcium usually reserved for egg formation into their feather-growing reserves instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSupplementing their usual feed ration with extra protein and calcium will help mitigate the impact of a moult on egg laying.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDid you know feathers are made of around 84% protein?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNatural feed additives like\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Verm-X Poultry Zest\" href=\"https:\/\/verm-x.com\/products\/verm-x-poultry-zest-pellets-for-poultry-ducks-geese-turkeys-game-birds\"\u003eVerm-X Poultry Zest\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Verm-X Keep Well\" href=\"https:\/\/verm-x.com\/products\/verm-x-keep-well-pellets-for-poultry-ducks-fowl\"\u003eVerm-X Keep Well\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ecan increase your hens’ protein intake by more than 15%, which will really benefit your flock as they move through their moult.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe additional herbs can also help support your hens’ immune system whilst it is at its lowest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eAdd Apple Cider Vinegar to their water\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eTo ensure a healthy immune system, add some of our\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/verm-x.com\/products\/verm-x-organic-apple-cider-vinegar-for-poultry?variant=41657849905337\"\u003eOrganic Apple Cider Vinegar\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto their water to \u003cspan\u003ehelp with the digestion and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eabsorption of food and vital nutrients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt also reduces the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epossible risk of harmful bacteria in the gut and helps strengthen their immune system. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMoulting hens can be bullied\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eWhere feathers have been lost, new pin feathers will emerge. Your already scruffy looking hen could end up looking like a hedgehog! These pin feathers taste nice to other hens and are looked upon as a valued food source. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis can lead to severe bullying within your flock as the more dominant hens try to eat the pin feathers of those lower in the pecking order, so take care to protect a moulting hen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen disrupted, pin feathers can bleed profusely. It is therefore worth separating any hens that are getting a hard time from their flock-mates, at there will also be the risk of infection to contend with.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eKeep them comfortable\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eGrowing new feathers can be an uncomfortable process and your chickens’ skin can become very sensitive. Minimise handling your birds during a moult and consider accelerating your coop cleaning routine to make sure they are in dry, clean bedding as much as possible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is definitely worth increasing the amount of bedding in the coop in the middle of the moulting period. A nice deep coop bed will keep your chickens warmer and less-stressed, which will have them back to their beautiful selves much faster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eAvoid covering them up\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhilst it may look absolutely adorable, putting your chicken in clothing during a moult is to be avoided at all costs. The new feathers need to be able to grow unobstructed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, whilst a knitted jumper might seem like a great solution for a chilly chicken, it could actually end up causing some serious harm. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Verm X","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56234774790522,"sku":null,"price":11.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0820\/1938\/5639\/files\/APPLE_890be56a-dfe4-4f3d-baef-0b6584095f7a.webp?v=1764158511","url":"https:\/\/floodhorsefeeds.com\/products\/moulting-chickens","provider":"Flood Horsefeeds","version":"1.0","type":"link"}