Molt Busting Granola Bites for Chickens
The shorter days of generally fall trigger a molt in backyard chicken flocks across the country, which is basically the loss of old, dirty or broken feathers and the regrowth of new feathers in chickens and ducks.
The timing of the molt ensures that your hens have nice new, fluffable feathers for the winter that will help keep your chickens warm.
If your chicken run starts looking like a giant pillow fight has just taken place, and you do a headcount and no one is missing, chances are your flock is molting.
Each hen is different, and the molt, which begins around the head and neck and then continues down the body, can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
Extra Protein for Molting Chickens
Some chickens continue to lay through a good portion of their molt, others stop all together. Since feathers require lots of protein to grow, extra protein can help your hens get through the molt easier.
This recipe for granola bites (or should I say "grub-nola" bites!) that I developed is a big favorite around here and provides additional of protein for your chickens during their fall molt.
Dried grubs, mealworms, sunflower seeds, and nuts are all great sources of protein.
Molt Busting Granola Bites for Chickens
1 cup shelled, unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup chopped unsalted nuts (I used almonds)
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
What you Do |
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line an 8x10 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add the melted coconut oil and molasses and stir to combine well. Pat the mixture into pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Let cool completely (or refrigerate until cool) then slice into bars or break into pieces. Or just serve up the entire pan as is! Leftovers can be left at room temperature or refrigerated (or frozen for longer storage).
As you can see, these bars are a huge hit with our girls, especially during a molt when extra protein is so important.
For more about the molt process and my recipe for Molt Meatloaf, read HERE.
