Looking Suspiciously Tatty

Just when Slutvana, the Russian Orloff is looking back to “normal” and Snowhite, the all-white-mystery-hen, is halfway to feathered out… our pretty Little Red Hen has begun to molt.  Big Time!  I thought she was going to escape the molting season unscathed, but no such luck. So… despite Slutvana’s regrowth (she never was that attractive), we have a motley looking group down in the coop

They say that appearances aren’t everything.  I’m not so sure with chickens.  Granted, the egg production is more important but, so far, even the molty ones haven’t quit laying entirely.  We have been getting one or two eggs a day throughout the feather renewal process and, for the two of us that’s plenty with some to spare.

Snowhite’s Online Twin

Once again, our girls seem to dance to their own drummers.  According to Nutrena’s website:  During molt, chickens typically stop laying eggs and use this time to build up their nutrient reserves. Even though they are not laying, it is critical that your chickens have a high quality diet during this time.  Of course, Nutrena is in the business of selling poultry food, so they may be biased about molting.  And since our girls are fairly reluctant readers… they don’t know the difference.

I worry a little that it has turned cold and wet outside and the girls’ outer wear is definitely tatty.  They don’t seem to notice, though.  They march around the garden as proudly as ever.  There’s no doubt a lesson to be learned there.  But I remain unconvinced that appearances are not everything.