Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
male, regain some of the fat they lost during their active season. Birds that are given
a chance to molt and fatten up survive extremely cold weather much more easily than
do birds in heavy production. Constant layers will suffer and in some cases perish in
winter, because the physiological demands of laying combined with weather stress are
more than they can handle. In other words, don't be greedy. Allow your birds a chance
to recuperate and refresh themselves, and get ready for the next season.
Waterfowl
generally molt once the temperatures reach summerlike heights. I can
usually count on my geese to stop laying and start molting once we experience our first
few days of 90°F (32°C) temperatures. Ducks usually hang on for up to a month longer
before molting, depending on the breed. Light breed egg-laying types molt a little longer
than do the heavy breed meat varieties. Some birds, such as Egyptian geese, molt a
feather at a time, and always look terrific.
MOLTING PATTERNS
Turkeys
molt in cycles based on gender. Males tend to molt in the heat of the summer
and have nice new feathers come fall, whereas female turkeys don't molt until late sum-
mer or early fall.
Butchering
I field many queries in my role as educator and poultry raiser, but one of the most fre-
quently asked questions is “When is the proper time to butcher?” The answer is one of
individual preference, really, but several factors must be considered before jumping in.
Modern commercial broilers
are usually ready to be slaughtered at an age between
six and eight weeks. If kept much longer than ten weeks, these birds are affected by ser-
ious problems such as breast blisters and sore feet.
Remember that modern, commercial broilers are not genetically designed to be on
earth for long. These birds are specifically developed to be butchered in a short period
