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| | From:  SassySadie72 (Original Message) | Sent: 6/21/2007 1:50 AM |
| As many of you know Showtime is approaching us fast and I have been sitting here trying to think of a way to force a molt in some of my breeders. The thing with my birds is that alot of them work in the summer and I have to have them in shape fairly quickly for show. They are really still working and will have to for at least another month. What I'm looking for is suggestions on how to either cause them to molt early or force them to molt. New feathering is very important especially in the white birds. I've spent hours bleaching, using bluing and doing all sorts of things to whiten the exsisting feathers but, that simply is not working. Also is there anything that you have heard of to promote feather growth say in young birds that you are trying to size out and age in a hurry? I have heard of this and that thing that you can give them like Red Cell, (now what the heck was that for)? I know protein is good for feathers.. Help y'all ...lol any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.. Mama G. | Reply
| | | From: Kate | Sent: 8/12/2001 1:36 AM | | Tami, this is a method we have used, given to us by a long-time show breeder over here. The birds are brought indoors (garage) into individual pens, and only given water for 48 hours. Then they get a complete change of diet - we normally feed layer pellets, so we switched them to just maize for a week. It worked - we had feathers falling like snow in no time! LOL. Once the feathers started to fall, we switched them back to their normal feed with some high-protein supplements (we use dog food) to encourage new feathers fairly quickly. We've only done it once, when our "big" show (Pekin Club) was the first show of the season, and we needed them looking their best early. Hope this helps. | | Reply
| | | From: mina | Sent: 8/12/2001 2:05 AM | | Tami, in addition to changing the feed to just corn, I've also read on another board that some people put them in a darker environment-you know, where its darker longer than it really is. Good luck. Mina | | Reply
| | | Thanks Kate, I just knew you would have the answer... Now I have another question for you. On the corn part, some of the ole folks keep telling me that feeding corn and scratch yellows the feathers on white birds..Have you heard this?
Also, I can figure out the inside like that garage and the darkness and all, now I just have to figure out how to get them to a dark spot.. It would be impossible for me to bring all our birds inside. How long does this process take, I mean if I find a place to bring say five or six birds inside and get them started how long would they have to remain totally inside to complete the molt. The only birds I'm really worried about are like my White Black Tailed Japanese, and my Columbian Cochins. Besides my Barred Cochin Rooster and he has some major yellowing from the summer, reckon this will work with him also. I just can't stand not taking him to show. I have lots of his offspring ready to go but it's still not the same.. I sure Thank you for helping me out. The first show I want to do is next month so I really should get started I know.. All advise is greatly appreciated.. Hugs to you Tami P.S. Thanks Mina... I thank you GREAT BIG too! for trying to help..By the way how goes it being out of school. Remeber to tell them folks what a "CATCH" you really are.. Tell them your surrogate Mama says so too...! | | Reply
| | | From: Kate | Sent: 8/17/2001 7:46 AM | | Tami, the yellowing on your white birds at present is probably from the sun, and the new feathers should come through nice and white. It would pay to keep them in shady pens under trees or something while you are showing them - same thing for any birds with white lobes, as they will sunburn and mark too. Yes, I've been told about feeding maize to white birds too - it really only applies when they are growing their new feathers, which is why we switch ours back to their regular feed once the moult is underway. Once they've grown all their new white feathers in, it's safe to feed a little maize with their scratch - if yellow legs are a requirement in the Standard, hens in particular will need some to keep up enough pigment in their skin for the correct colour. I should mention that "straw" or yellow tinge in the hackle feathers of ANY coloured bird is a fault, and it can sometimes be genetic, so watch carefully what colour the new feathers grow in (out of direct sun) to be sure if it's genetics or sunburn. Hope this helps. | | Reply
| | | Thanks Kate,
That eases my mind lots. I've got shade cloths on many of the show bird pens but I guess it just gets so bright and beats down so hard I still have the problem. Do you know how long it takes for them to molt? I'm sorry to keep asking all these questions but this is something that I don't know allot about and boy are some of my best babies in need of conditioning..Speaking of conditioning have you ever heard of finsihing feed? I was given some to try by our feed store guy and I've never used it. I did notice on the bag that it said "To be used with birds that are not in production" Will this hurts birds that lay? Well I'll hush. Sure wish we could speak in person. I sure do miss you. I hope all is well with you and Rob and your Dad.. Hope to talk to you soon.. Love Tami | | Reply
| | Found it! Now I am off to church. Have a good day!  | | Reply
| | | Thanks so very much Sherri..I knew it was here somewere but for the life of me I could not find it... I hope this works have lots to try it on..lOL Hope church was good today. I've been talking to my kids about writing from our f.r.o.g club to your club.. Well I'll hush for now..Thanks so much again..Hugs MaMa | | Reply
| | | Experiment one : on forcing a molt.
participants are 2 Black Tailed White Japanese Roosters
Start date: 9 / 25 late evening. brought in and caged in show pen. Took away everything but water. put a cover over their cage to make sure they were totally in the dark.
Stayed with nothing but water till 9/26
Early 9/27 I gave them there first batch of chopped corn and some mineral and vitiamin water. Of course they were really hungry.. but I have kept them with plenty of food since then.
9/28 Went out to see about the birds I have in for show preparation and guess what ? The roo's are already starting to drop feathers!!
I'm not sure how this will continue to develop, but so far so good..I will share this with you as it develops so you will have a good idea on how long it takes for the molt and the regrowth...
Tootles for now Mama Gozzard | | |
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| | | Bump to the front to help Feathers.. Let me know if this is enough information Feathers or if you need more... And Kate is a good one to holler at..She has done this more than I have.. Tootles for now
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| | | ok i think i got it. just a cupple of questions... how long does the whole thing take? (from start of molt to all feathers back) is the choped corn just regular corn? when they are in the dark, should the get any day light? how many days do the hens stop laying? and when all of this is happening, when is a good time to change their litter? thats all i can think of for now. but if i come up with any more i'll let ya know. feathers | | Reply
| | | Bumping up for some more talk on this... Checking to see if anyone has any new suggestions... Mama | | Reply
| | | Oh Mama, I have never "forced" a molt...but I can say we feed all our birds 21%protein pellets, and suplement with corn & scratch grains..(in addition to free range)....our white birds too have yellow staining on them, I presume it is sunburn...but when they were washed with a special bleaching shampoo (for cattle), with bluing in it..they gradualy whitend up...at first I was disapointed..they looked just the same as befor washing them, but by day 3 they were white as could be!! as for conditioning the birds, I added extra corn & grit to any one's feed who felt under weight, it adds on weight fast...I always add grit, but extra, if I feed whole grains..to be sure they can digest them. | | |
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