Like all animals, chickens live their lives according to the seasons of the year .. Just like deer losing their antlers, chickens lose their feathers.
Moulting is a big part of the chicken’s calender during October, but they pencil it in anytime after the Great British summer decides to stop.
Chickens breed in the Spring because there is an increase in daylight hours, resulting in the hen laying more eggs and the cockerels dust off those winter cobwebs and feel more inclined to pro-create. For the slower and ‘unlucky’ hen, by the end of Summer, her back and scalp are mostly bare. Its unfortunate, but have no fear, the moult is here..
This is an apparently very stressful time for the bird but I beg to differ as the only thing she can be upset about is how horrendous she looks. I would say its more a tiring process as a lot of the food she eats goes into keeping warm and all that rejuvenation. Other feathers on the bird drop off and after all is complete, the hen can look a bit dappled; fashioning a mixture of this season and last season’s outwear collection.
Why mid-Autumn a hear you ask? .. Well I’ve done a thorough assessment and have concluded
1. Climate - Its still warm enough for the bird to continue having a nice life without freezing to death
2. Preparation – ‘Winter is coming’ (Copyright GoT).. the hen has a full set of feathers seeing her through to the new year and next spring
3. Less Interest - Cockerels don’t care during winter
3. Egg Production – Decreased due to decrease in daylight hours
4. (Mini Point) - Cockerels go through the same process but so they look handsome and attract females for the following season!
As you can see, Chicken Corner represents a microcosm of a global cycle as animals continuously interact with the environment around them. How incredible ;)
Bye chicks x
Written: 2nd October 2017
