The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Housing, Health & Hatching
Conditioning housing for prospective show birds
Susan Mouw:
Searching the internet for how to bring on a forced molt and I don't think I like what I'm reading. I don't think I could do the fasting method and withhold food, in fact, I'm know I couldn't. I did find one link about light reduction to bring on a molt, but couldn't get the link to open - so I'm still in the dark about that one (sorry - just couldn't resist the pun).
So, would covering cages for a few days (assuming there is still sufficient ventilation) be enough to start a molt? And, once they've gone through that molt, would a chicken go through another when the weather really changes or are they "immune" to weather changes once they've gone through the molt?
Mike Gilbert:
The second molt is not a factor, as chickens and bantams must be older than that before they are ready to be shown. What you have to worry about in young birds is unexpected molts at six to 12 months. Sudden changes in feed, weather, stress - lots of things can throw them into a molt just when you don't want it to happen. Some of them you have at least some control over, others you don't. Unless you have a climate controlled Taj Mahal of a chicken palace. Under normal conditions most bantams will reach peak show condition at 5 to 7 months, most large fowl chickens 6 to 9 months though some can take longer. Different breeds, even different strains of the same breed, may vary. Once again, experience is the best teacher. By the way, as just a reminder, don't believe everything you see on the internet. It is a handy tool, but misinformation can be spread at practically the speed of light and tends to be repeated.
Don't worry about forced molting for young birds as it won't be needed. And I never had much luck with forced molting of older birds, because I just don't have the heart to put them under that much stress.
Schroeder:
Susan:
I do not have a large barn with space for conditioning pens, so here's what I do. I have three separate coops. I built this one (my wife calls the two-seater) primarily for use as conditioning pens/coops. It is 4 ft x 12 ft, with a divider down the middle to create two 4'x6' coops. A month or more before a show, I transfer 3 or 4 potential female contestants into one side, and typically a cockerel into the other. Whether I let them outside depends on how wet the ground is. I usually don't let out the cockerel because free rangers from the other coops may want to pick a fight from the other side of the run.
When not in use for show birds, the structure is quite versatile. I use it to grow out chicks in the spring, as housing for cocks (with a cardboard divider between the sections so that they can't see each other) or for a larger group with the middle divider removed.
Several days before the show I bring the ones that I intend to show into the garage for bathing and final conditioning. Ideally I would get them cage ready earlier than this, but I work with what I have.
Duane
Jeffery and Cheryl Vance:
Nice set up Duane glad to meet you and your wife.
Susan Mouw:
--- Quote from: Mike Gilbert on October 09, 2014, 08:38:27 AM ---The second molt is not a factor, as chickens and bantams must be older than that before they are ready to be shown. What you have to worry about in young birds is unexpected molts at six to 12 months. Sudden changes in feed, weather, stress - lots of things can throw them into a molt just when you don't want it to happen. Some of them you have at least some control over, others you don't. Unless you have a climate controlled Taj Mahal of a chicken palace. Under normal conditions most bantams will reach peak show condition at 5 to 7 months, most large fowl chickens 6 to 9 months though some can take longer. Different breeds, even different strains of the same breed, may vary. Once again, experience is the best teacher. By the way, as just a reminder, don't believe everything you see on the internet. It is a handy tool, but misinformation can be spread at practically the speed of light and tends to be repeated.
Don't worry about forced molting for young birds as it won't be needed. And I never had much luck with forced molting of older birds, because I just don't have the heart to put them under that much stress.
--- End quote ---
Thank you for clearing that up for me, Mike. I agree on the forced molting - I don't think I could put my birds through that kind of stress.
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