Spring molt? Is there such a thing?

[Egg Rookie 2010]

Well I think I have done a bad thing....I had hubby cull a bird I thought was sick...she looked like a rag for a bout 2 weeks, then one morning came out looking like half her feathers were gone and for several weeks her eggs were so think they were like paper and the other girls busted them when they shared the nest to lay. I was sad but I didnt want her giving cooties to the rest of the girls if she didnt already. So yesterday ANOTHER girl cam out looking terrible...half the feathers from all over missing. Now it is already hot and I thought they mostly molt in fall but it occured to me I had them under lights all winter so they would lay until about a month ago...I messed up the body clock didnt I? They girls were a year old in Feb. I appreciate any input.

 

[Jakl]

Ours MOLT in fall, and molt again in spring.

The spring molt is usually a smaller event that fall MOLT. But a few of my girls always seem to want a completely new outfit every spring.

Sounds like your girls might need some extra oyster shell?? If you have it free-choice already, encourage them to eat a bit more by adding a treat on top of their oyster shells.

 

[Domestic_goddess]

Well usually they will stop laying during a molt. Some of them will molt spring and fall. I wouldn't dwell on things you can't change, now you know it's a possible molt.

 

[Mugs]

I have this question too. I have two Americauna pullets about 9 months old. The white is losing feathers like mad. I'm getting one egg a day and I'm pretty sure it's the other one. I didn't think they molted this early in life?

 

[chickeninfested]

Well, if it is normal, chickens don't lay much when they molt. Well, I meant the molting then when I said if it is normal, because, as you probably know, molting is normal. One of my hens is going through it right now.

 

[8675309j]

I have 1 buff brahma, 1 buff orpington and 1 wellsummer. My BB has been dropping feather for the last few weeks, none off my BO and now it looks like my WS is dropping feathers. I think my BB and BO are both still laying but I havent gotten any eggs from my WS for more than a week now. Are they molting? We live in the Pacific NW? They are eating drinking and running around normally.

 

[centrarchid]

What are they eating? Look closely for evidence of lice.

 

[8675309j]

What would I see? I check for bugs under the feathers and so far nothing. Whats the best way to see? They eat layer feed when they are locked in the coop along with cabbage or any other left over treats, melon, etc. I made some flock blocks recently that they loved as treats. Nothing out of the ordinary that I know of.


Does this not sound like molting?

 

[centrarchid]

With respect to lice, look for little specks that look like dander. Inspect those specks closer for movement. Numerous threads give more detailed account on that process. I cheat use a very nice dissecting microscope because looking at such is fun.

Try to provide some chick grower to feed mix to increase protein a little. Most of the non-layer component of diet you describe pulls dietary protein levels down which can be a problem if forage quality is poor.

What you describe is not consistent with normal molting because of timing. With some breeds you should begin to see slow replacement of wing flight feathers about now which will result in a few primary and secondary feathers being evident on ground. About the time of the fall equinox you will start to see tail feathers and body being replaced. Breeds that replace wing feathers differently than I indicated above start much later and loose wing feathers often in groups of three resulting in a much more compressed molt season. Experience with that taught me those birds need higher protein diets during such.

 

[8675309j]

Pulled her out of the coop tonight to check for lice and any other worries. Couldnt find anything. She is losing feathers but isn't close to being bare like photos of molt I have seen. We got her at one year old last Sept or so. She took a few weeks to settle into the flock but is now on top of the pecking order. She has always been a good layer. We supplemented light through the winter but shut it down in March. She was still laying until Easter time. So about 2 weeks now. I was worried she was laying outside the box so we have kept them in the coop for the last 3 days letting them out only in the late evening. I love the eggs and don't want to add to the flock but am not sure what else to do. I was hoping to get 4 years of good laying of this flock. Will cut the treats for a while and keep her on feed to see if that helps. I thought she was just ****** because after we got new neighbors we kept them coop bound for a bit. SPOILED HENS. Do they stop laying when they have attitude issues.