Texas

[janiedoe]

Anyone's flock molting?
I've seen my roo picking at his own feathers a bunch, but caught me off guard to see how many were missing off of his chest yesterday. Basically a multi-inch patch with no feathers. I'll try and take a pic later, but I'm about to head out of town and am afraid it's something more serious that requires care.

Most of mine are. I could stuff a mattress.

 

[ATXInstantFlock]

Phew, thanks for the quick replies.
Maybe he's been sneaking YT videos of bros trying to get swole and he decided to go for the bare chested look.

 

[janiedoe]

Phew, thanks for the quick replies.
Maybe he's been sneaking YT videos of bros trying to get swole and he decided to go for the bare chested look.View attachment 3957104

I'm not certain thats molting but it may be.
My big boy, Goliath never has any feathers in that area anymore. He has one particular girlfriend who over grooms him. I figure if he hated it he'd put her in her place. That looks just like Goliath's chest.
I feed extra protein during molt. Usually a can of tuna or sardinea every few days. I also up mine to a 20% protein feed. They usually get 18%.

 

[ATXInstantFlock]

I feed extra protein during molt. Usually a can of tuna or sardinea every few days. I also up mine to a 20% protein feed. They usually get 18%.

Thanks for the tip. For lack of a better plan, I moved my flock to a roughly 50/50 mix of 18% all flock pellets and 20% grower/starter crumbles, so I guess they're getting about 19% ATM.

Once I return from my short trip, I am going to resume giving some fermented feed out of the same mix, too.

Just remembered that the Livengood people out of Lockhart never responded to my email, I might give their retail store a call since I know I can buy that for a reasonable price here, without going to a huge effort. I know they make quite a few different lines of feed.

 

[NagemTX]

Phew, thanks for the quick replies.
Maybe he's been sneaking YT videos of bros trying to get swole and he decided to go for the bare chested look.View attachment 3957104

Yeah that looks like kings neck area and most of the bearded boys that have girlfriends that groom or eat their feathers for protein and egg production.

 

[Melisanewell80]

You will have to carefully move them somewhere else (mom, eggs, and hatched chicks) and brush any ants off once they are moved. Good luck & let us know how it goes.

She had left the eggs unknowingly four babies survived out of the total 11 eggs

 

[janiedoe]

She had left the eggs unknowingly four babies survived out of the total 11 eggs

Congratulations on the four. I'm sorry you lost the others.

 

[Squawkers]

She had left the eggs unknowingly four babies survived out of the total 11 eggs

I’m glad some survived. I was just wondering how it went for you. Were you able to get many ants off? I hate it when the mom leaves the babies (although I completely understand the reasoning) it’s so sad to see the dead half hatched chicks.