Butterscotch laid twenty eggs then went broody. She then started to moult but a little later starting laying again. The feathers stopped appearing in the run and she laid twenty one eggs then went broody once more.
This time none of the girls were laying so I shut the little coop nest boxes. It was quick and easy to break Butterscotch from being broody this time as there were no nest boxes open to her and the weather had turned cold. For the first two days she looked at the nest boxes and gently clucked to herself and then she seemed to accept it and continued to scratch and peck in the run with the rest of the flock.
A week later she started moulting again. I am finding a pile of her feathers under her night time roosting spot and picking up a trail of feathers from where ever she has been in the run during the day. Despite this she really doesn’t appear to look any different.
Butterscotch looks as good as ever
Meanwhile Honey is getting her tail back. The black tail feathers have returned.
Honey’s tail is growing
The flock are looking good again with the only real difference being Peaches and Barley’s pale and small combs. It will be good to see big, red combs once more in the spring.
The girls are looking good
As a foot note, usually when I get the whole flock in shot it’s because there are treats on the patio. Sometimes though, I just crouch down with my camera and they all come running to see if I have anything for them. This means they are all in shot with no treats on the patio.
Sorry girls, sometimes I just come in with only a camera in my hands but it is a good snap shot of a lovely looking flock.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
They are all looking good although, as you say, the combs on the leghorns do retract and lose their redness – Topaz, too, has lost the colour and vigour of her comb, but all will come back at the turn of the year. Butterscotch still looks really good and the photo really shows off her beautiful silkie-inherited blue earlobes. All of mine have at least started the moult, apart from Dart. I thought a cat must have got into the run today, when I returned from an away day, as there were feathers strewn everywhere; however, it’s just a vicious (and sudden) moult for 2 of my marans. Only 2 hens still laying, so no eggs at all some days – and Dart is on only 2 or 3 a week, so something of a rest, despite not stopping altogether.
As you say the leghorns combs are so small and pale, Topaz doesn’t notice so much of a change but you are right that her comb has lost its vigour, Butterscotch, despite dropping loads of feathers doesn’t look any different, the black comb makes it hard to tell any difference. Your Dart is an amazing girl! It is so interesting to see how different girls cope with the moult. All of them will be beautiful come spring though and the eggs will commence once more.