What did you do with your flock today?

[Shetland lover]

Last weekend I wanted to spend some time with Callia, but she spends 1-2 hours per day in her favorite bush, where she has a nest.

So I let her be, figuring that she must've been trying to lay an egg. I went back later and this is how I found her. All proud in the sunlight. What a queen.

As a friend of mine said, "she's the most hen-shaped hen I've ever seen".

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She looks wonderful! So pretty!

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Today we clucked about being cold and molting. Poor Coppertop! This morning:

At her finest!

Omg she would kill me if she knew i shared molt pic shes last in line to molt this year! hurry up!

 

[Shetland lover]

Poor Coppertop! Tell her she's gorgeous even full moult.

With the exception of Clara, all my flock are through the worst of it. Thank god, as the weather has just turned cold in the last couple of days.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Poor Coppertop! Tell her she's gorgeous even full moult.

With the exception of Clara, all my flock are through the worst of it. Thank god, as the weather has just turned cold in the last couple of days.

us too! today is nice tho, 56 and sunny!

 

[fuzzi]

Poor Coppertop! Tell her she's gorgeous even full moult.

With the exception of Clara, all my flock are through the worst of it. Thank god, as the weather has just turned cold in the last couple of days.

Mine are pretty much done with molting as well...where are the eggs?!?


Showing off:

 

[Shetland lover]

Mine are pretty much done with molting as well...where are the eggs?!?


Showing off:

My girls won't lay again until Feb/March. Good job I don't keep them for their egg-laying ability!

Beautiful boys!

Ferdy started his morning crow at 4 am today. Thankfully, Stan didn't answer- think it's possible Gladys would have stamped him into next week if he had. She's not an early riser as far as chickens go.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I’m so happy I popped onto this thread because I was starting to be concerned with my 5 GLW’s molting and not laying since Sept. You all seem to have similar experiences. My other flock of 2 seem to have aligned with the older GLW’s, so noones laying and everyones molting! jeesh I’m in CT and the hens will be 4yrs in the spring

 

[ValerieJ]

In 9 years now, I have never had a hard molt in my flock. They all molt a little in the fall, but not badly. The only reason the laying slows down is the long cold winter I think. We still get 2 to 4 eggs a day, so that is enough for us.

 

[fuzzi]

My girls won't lay again until Feb/March. Good job I don't keep them for their egg-laying ability!

Beautiful boys!

Thank you, they are handsome, and I let them know.

I wanted eggs, but more than eggs I wanted my chickens to have good lives without being egg machines. They deserve some downtime.

The pullets are getting chatty, both Esther and Johanna especially. This afternoon Esther was perched next to the door, and she kept up a running commentary as I went in and out during the chores. Funny, silly little birds, but I love them. They give me joy.

 

[Shetland lover]

I’m so happy I popped onto this thread because I was starting to be concerned with my 5 GLW’s molting and not laying since Sept. You all seem to have similar experiences. My other flock of 2 seem to have aligned with the older GLW’s, so noones laying and everyones molting! jeesh I’m in CT and the hens will be 4yrs in the spring

I only have 3 hens and 2 roos these days. My oldest hen, Gladys, is 6 next March. She still lays almost daily from the beginning of March until she moults. My other girls are coming up to 5 and also lay daily from around February. They are heritage breeds - bantam Cochin and my last Shetland hen (technically a landrace).
Until recently, I've always had ex-battery hens too. They are hybrid layers that come out of commercial caged egg production at 72 weeks old and sent for slaughter. In my experience, they've continued to lay daily for the rest of their short lives. They have continued to lay eggs regardless of being in moult, stress, even sickness. They exhaust their little bodies, laying eggs practically until they die. Mine have never taken breaks. They only live 2-3 years and suffer from a multitude of reproductive and skeletal issues.

I'd rather forgo eggs for a couple of months so my girls get a break and a longer lifespan.