The Moulting Season - Autumn

Have your chooks started to moult yet? 

Are you noticing feathers floating around the coop?

With the Autumn moult imminent you can do a lot to help your flock through this demanding time.

Moulting is triggered by hormones that respond to less daylight hours, actually making new feathers whose growth pushes out the old ones.

The moulting process places a heavy drain on chooks but if they are in good health and fed a high protein, balanced ration they can navigate the challenge easily. 
 

You can help them along - here are some tips

• Feathers are made of keratin, a protein, so boost their diet with protein treats.
• Boost protein intake early, ideally before a moult begins.
• Linseed, Chia & Sunflower seed are great sources of essential fatty acids that benefit feather growth and quality
• Avoid handling chooks. Moulting makes feather follicles very sensitive, even painful.
• Make sure they have good protection from the wind and early cool snaps.
• An early slow 'soft' moult means the chooks don't lay for a longer period. A late hard moult means they return to lay faster.
• Moulting always starts at the head and moves down the body. 
   

Managing the Stress of Moulting

Chooks can get moody, a bit seedy and listless during the moult and their immune system can be depleted. Natural Chicken Health - Super Mash alleviates the stress of moulting with Apple Cider Vinegar and Seaweed to boost their immune response.

If chickens aren't getting enough protein, they may peck at other birds feathers and eat them to increase their protein levels. It doesn’t take much for a wound to appear and chickens love to peck at red blood, which makes the wound worse. You should always separate birds if this starts to happen.

 

Give them a Protein Boost Platter!

Here are some common sources of protein to help your chooks:

• Cooked eggs: 91% protein
• Fish or fish meal: up to 70% protein - sardines have high levels of Omega 3 oils, any oily fish is excellent.  Check the label for protein level information - you don't want less than 17% protein.
• Mealworms or Black Solder Fly Larvae: 50% min. protein dried; around 30% live.
• Pumpkin seeds: 31-33% protein - fresh is best, chop to edible size.
• Sprouted lentils/buckwheat: 26-30% protein - tasty, high in minerals, low in fat
• Sunflower seeds: 23% protein - disease preventing phytochemicals - smashed helps
• Garden peas: 23% protein - frozen peas are great
• Parsley: 21% protein - must be chopped, a good source of calcium and anti-carcinogens  

 

Chooks are greedy so remember...

• High protein foods are not to be fed as a substitute for a good quality chicken feed but as an occasional treat.
• Don't overfeed, restrict to moulting and hard winters. Overweight chickens will develop various health problems and won't be good egg layers.  
• You will still need to supply normal feeds, shell grit and water.
• New foods will be eyed with great suspicion at first, until your flock decides those strange looking fish pieces or mealworms aren't going to kill them after all!
• Use corn sparingly, it can reduce the overall protein intake of your birds.  
   

Natural Chicken Health - Super Mash is a natural feed supplement to support your chooks through the moulting period and help to keep them healthy all year round.

So keep Super Mash up to your backyard chooks!

Super Mash is a monthly treatment to help keep chickens healthy. It’s a natural antiparasitic that contains ACV, nutrients and probiotics to boost and vitalise your chickens in a natural way.

Find out more and order online or find a Super Mash supplier near you at https://naturalchickenhealth.com.au/

Natural Chicken Health – Super Mash is a natural feed supplement to help keep your chooks healthy all year round.

Follow us on Facebook Natural Chicken Health and Cheryls Chook Chat