Leelu (Delilah) is the last of my original three Girls. She's a Bluebelle hybrid, and she is gorgeous. She's pretty much retired now,apart from the occasional kidney shaped, weak shelled, attempt. That's fine. She's been a lovely Girl, has laid well, and I hope she goes on for a long time.
This week she decided to start her moult. Being a hybrid, she couldn't do it over a long period, a bit at a time. No. She had to shed bucket loads of feathers. Everywhere. The garden looks like we've been out there having pillow fights.
Again, I don't mind. About the feathers and the mess. But I don't like the fact that she's so bald. Her bottom, her lower back, her tummy, under her wings... all bald. She's still got some feathers on her back, and from the top you would think she was losing just a few.
The skin doesn't look sore, so I'm assuming it's just a normal hybrid-chicken-fast-moult.
I've been supplementing her normal feed with a bit of cat food (much to Washburn's disgust), and today I gave her chick crumb made into porridge, with some poultry spice in. They have Lifeguard Tonic in their water.
I'm hoping that her new feathers will grow quickly, and I wonder if she'll change colour again. She was originally a browny-grey, and after last year's moult she turned steely-grey.
I tried to take some pics of her bald botty, but she's doin the chicken equivalent of a comb-over so you can't really see.
This week she decided to start her moult. Being a hybrid, she couldn't do it over a long period, a bit at a time. No. She had to shed bucket loads of feathers. Everywhere. The garden looks like we've been out there having pillow fights.
Again, I don't mind. About the feathers and the mess. But I don't like the fact that she's so bald. Her bottom, her lower back, her tummy, under her wings... all bald. She's still got some feathers on her back, and from the top you would think she was losing just a few.
The skin doesn't look sore, so I'm assuming it's just a normal hybrid-chicken-fast-moult.
I've been supplementing her normal feed with a bit of cat food (much to Washburn's disgust), and today I gave her chick crumb made into porridge, with some poultry spice in. They have Lifeguard Tonic in their water.
I'm hoping that her new feathers will grow quickly, and I wonder if she'll change colour again. She was originally a browny-grey, and after last year's moult she turned steely-grey.
I tried to take some pics of her bald botty, but she's doin the chicken equivalent of a comb-over so you can't really see.
