Fall can be a funny time around the chicken coop. The days get shorter, feathers start showing up everywhere, egg production can slow down, and some of your prettiest hens suddenly look like they’re having a really bad hair day. Most of that comes with the season.

But fall is also a good time to pay a little closer attention to your birds. You don’t need to completely change your routine. Take a good look at the flock, clean things up around the coop, make sure everybody is eating and drinking well, and deal with any health concerns before winter settles in.

First, Don’t Panic About All Those Feathers

Walk into the coop this fall and it might look like a pillow exploded. For many hens, that’s perfectly normal.

Chickens naturally molt, shedding old feathers and replacing them with new ones. The seasonal change in daylight helps trigger the process, which is why we tend to see so much molting in the fall. Egg production will often slow down or stop during molt as well.

So if an otherwise healthy hen suddenly looks a little rough around the edges and isn’t filling the nesting box like she was this summer, molt could be the reason.

Keep Good Feed in Front of Them

Growing a whole new set of feathers takes a lot out of a bird, so this isn’t the time to let treats and scratch take over the menu.

Keep a good, complete poultry feed in front of the flock along with plenty of clean, fresh water. Treats are fine, but they’re treats. They shouldn’t replace the balanced feed your birds need every day.

And spend a few minutes watching everybody eat. Chickens definitely have their own social order, and sometimes a timid bird gets pushed away from the feeder. Make sure everybody is getting a fair shot at dinner.

Fewer Eggs? That’s Fall for You.

If the egg basket isn’t filling up quite as quickly, don’t immediately assume something is wrong. Shorter days naturally affect egg production, and molting can slow things down even more. Some flock owners add supplemental lighting during the shorter months to maintain production, while others simply let their hens follow their natural seasonal cycle.

The important thing is knowing that a seasonal drop in eggs is a common and expected thing for hens.

Give the Coop a Fall Checkup

While you’re checking the chickens, take a look around their house, too. Clean out wet or heavily soiled bedding. Check feeders and waterers. Look for loose wire, gaps or openings that could give rodents or predators an easy way inside.

And as cooler weather arrives, resist the temptation to seal everything up tight. Chickens need protection from cold wind and wet weather, but the coop still needs ventilation.

You’re going for dry, clean and protected, not airtight.

Give Their Gut a Little Attention, Too

A healthy flock starts with what’s going on inside, and fall is a good time to think about digestive health as part of your everyday routine.

One product we like for that is Roosty’s Flock Armor. It’s a non-medicated daily feed supplement made with ingredients including chili and capsicum, garlic, oregano, black pepper and flaxseed. Roosty’s designed the blend to support digestion, gut balance, natural defenses, feather condition and overall flock health.

That makes it an especially nice fit during fall when your birds are already dealing with molt and seasonal changes.

It’s easy to work into the routine, too. Roosty’s says a one-pound pouch can be mixed into a standard 50-pound bag of chicken feed, or it can be sprinkled over the flock’s feed each day according to flock size.

One thing we like about Flock Armor is that it’s designed as daily support, not something you only reach for when there’s a problem.

And Then There Are Actual Parasites

Daily flock support and treating an actual internal parasite problem are two different things.

Keep an eye on your birds. A chicken that’s losing weight, acting sluggish, eating less than normal or spending more time by herself deserves a closer look. Those symptoms don’t automatically mean worms, but they’re worth paying attention to.

Fenbendazole, the active ingredient in Safe-Guard products, is an antiparasitic used for poultry parasite control in appropriately labeled formulations. For example, FDA-approved Safe-Guard AquaSol is labeled for treatment and control of specific intestinal worms in chickens.

The important part is knowing what you’re treating and using the appropriate product and directions. If a bird isn’t acting right and you’re not sure what’s going on, don’t guess. That’s a good time to talk with your veterinarian.

And since we’re talking fall, let’s clear up another one we hear from time to time: pumpkin seeds aren’t something we’d rely on as a deworming program. Your chickens will probably be more than happy to help you get rid of those leftover pumpkins, but an actual parasite problem calls for proven parasite management.

Watch Your Chickens

Spend some time with your flock. This might be the simplest advice in the whole article. It’s good for them and you too!

You know your chickens better than anybody. You know who’s first to the feeder, who follows you around hoping for a treat, and who usually keeps to herself. Those little habits make it much easier to notice when something changes.

A bird separating herself from the flock, losing weight, not eating, having trouble breathing or simply acting differently is telling you something.

Sometimes the best flock-health tool you have is simply knowing what “normal” looks like for your birds.

A Little Fall Prep Goes a Long Way

Fall flock care really doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep good feed and fresh water available. Expect some molting and fewer eggs. Clean up the coop. Check for places rodents and predators can get in. Support good digestive health, stay alert for signs of parasites and spend enough time around your chickens to notice when something just doesn’t look right.

Products like Roosty’s Flock Armor can be an easy addition to the everyday routine for digestive and overall flock support. When you’re dealing with an actual parasite problem, that’s when products containing proven antiparasitic ingredients such as fenbendazole have a different role. Roosty’s itself describes Flock Armor as a non-medicated supplement rather than a veterinary medicine.

Need feed, bedding or something for the coop? Stop by Johnson Feed and talk chickens with us. We’re always happy to help.