Do you know Chicken Math??

 There is Good Chicken Math: The kind where you can rationalize numbers so you can get yourself more chickens OR make yourself sound like a not-so-crazy chicken lady. Or maybe you go to get 6 chicks at the feed store, but come home with 10. This = Good Chicken Math

Right now, I've got some Bad Chicken Math

Example story problem: Nancy collected 6 eggs this week. All of the eggs are white. Nancy has 6 chickens. Only one of these chickens lays white eggs. How many chickens are freeloading slackers??

This story is an example of Bad Chicken Math.

Do you know chicken math?

Answer: Nancy has 0 freeloading slackers. 1 Leghorn is working her tail off, and the other 5 are losing their tails aka: Moulting.

Moulting = sketchy looking chickens + no eggs

If you find yourself with this kind of chicken math and the feathers are EVERYWHERE, help those girls out:

• Increase the protein your hens are getting. Dried mealworms, scrambled eggs and black oil sunflower seeds are great sources for this. 
• Reduce stressors by not introducing new flock members, moving them, or making other significant changes to their life.
• Don't hold them. I know this is a big one, especially if you are used to snuggling them. The new pin feathers they have coming in are very uncomfortable, and being held can be painful to them and could even break the new feathers, causing bleeding.                                   

Good news: 

When they are done moulting, the eggs will return and your girls will have amazing fluffy feathers once again. Also, moult time is a good time to find some crafts requiring feathers! 

Resume Good Chicken Math.