What is molting and what happens during it?
In late summer/early fall, your coop is full of feathers, and your birds are half-naked. First, if you don't know what is happening, you might panic and wonder if they have a parasite or something attacking them but that is not the case, they are just molting. When the summer daylight shortens and winter approaches, birds shed their old feathers and grow new ones. Males and females are both affected by this entirely natural process.
The feathers start to shed at the bird's head, then progress down the bird's back, sides, and thighs, and end with the tail feathers. The process is completely normal, and you shouldn't be concerned.
How to tell if they are molting or infested with parasites?
Generally, parasites can be seen on the chicken when you pick it up and inspect the bottom of its feathers. There is nothing visible at the bottom except for some feathers regrowing, which means the chicken is molting.
Consider these tips if you are still unsure:
- If you do not see parasites, look in the coop for any hiding places for red mites, which feed during the night and hide during the day.
- A loss of feathers throughout your flock could also be a sign of parasites. Parasites will begin to spread very rapidly from chicken to chicken.
- It is a good indication that there are parasites if you see bite marks or scratches on a chicken's skin.
- Check your flock's behavior for excessive aggression, which can cause feather loss.
- Despite your best efforts, if you only notice that the bird is pale and has stopped laying eggs, he/she may be sick. A bird's paleness can sometimes indicate a respiratory illness, and all birds showing any sign of illness should be isolated from the flock.
If none of the above are true in regards to your flock or feather loss, your flock is probably going through a molt.
Hard and soft molting.
Backyard chickens can undergo either a hard or a soft molt.
A hard molt occurs when the hen (or rooster - both are susceptible) looks seriously ill. She will lose almost all of her feathers very quickly, so she will look almost bald and have large patches of skin showing.
The chicken loses only a small amount of plumage during a soft molt. Even though they'll look a little ragged and their tail may be missing, they won't look like a chicken going through a hard molt.
What causes the molt?
Plumage renewal - During the course of a year, the plumage becomes dull and shabby. The feathers of chickens break frequently, which may not be a big deal during the summer, but when winter comes, the feathers can't adequately shield the chicken from the cold. Thus, molting is a natural process that sheds old feathers and grows a new coat. A chicken's reproductive system also rests during molting.
Keeping chickens happy and healthy during this time is important since this can be a stressful process for them.
What is the average age and frequency at which chickens molt?
A chicken's first molt, also known as the juvenile molt, occurs during the first 4-12 weeks of its life. During this time, they are constantly losing and growing feathers. The chicken will experience its annual molt around the age of 16-18 months, which occurs once a year in autumn/fall. The shorter daylight hours of fall signal to the chickens that it's time to re-grow their feathers for the coming winter. Lack of nutrition, insufficient water, and bullying/stress can, however, also cause molting at any time of the year.
What is the duration of molting?
Molting does not take place simultaneously in all chickens. If you have a large flock, the whole process can take up to three months, since each bird will have a slightly different starting and ending time. Molting takes longer in older chickens than in younger ones. You shouldn't be concerned if some of your hens undergo a molt in three weeks and others in twice as long.
Is molting painful for chickens?
The birds do not feel pain when they lose their plumage. A feather falls out the same way a human's hair does. In the early stages of re-growth, though, it's best to minimize handling of your chickens so they won't suffer injuries. Handle them gently if you must.
What to do if your chicken bleeds during molting.
They can bleed profusely if they are handled roughly, or if their pin feathers are damaged in any way.
You should deal with a chicken that has bloodied feathering or skin immediately, whether or not it is during the molt. The chicken is ruthless. The color red attracts them, and they peck at the blood of their flock members, even to death.
Make sure the chicken is not damaged. If the damage is to one or two feathers, clean them first with Vetericyn, and then cover the wound with Blue-Kote, which camouflages the red color. It reduces the likelihood of the chicken being pecked.
Just to be sure, keep checking. The chicken should be placed in isolation until she has recovered completely if the pecking becomes more severe or the damage is more extensive.
During molting, do chickens lay eggs?
No! Egg production will slow down at best, but for most hens, it will stop altogether. Around 85% - 90% of chicken feathers are composed of the protein Keratin. An egg contains about 13% protein. To develop a full coat of feathers, chickens must prioritize their new plumage by eating all the protein they can get. Therefore, their bodies divert the protein they extract from food from egg-laying to feather-growing, so they stop laying eggs.
When chickens molt, what should they be fed?
The feathers are composed of 85% protein, and since they are being lost, there is an extreme need for extra protein. Besides the usual chicken feed, you should also provide foods rich in protein, such as:
- Sunflower seeds
- Mealworms
- Scrambled or hard-boiled eggs
- For an excellent, surprisingly cheap, high-protein snack, sprout your own seeds as well!
Make sure not to overdo it with these items and to feed them in moderation!
Is there another way to assist our chickens with molting?
- When you see your flock looking a little ragged, don't worry -- they will brighten up once molting is complete.
- When they are molting, avoid handling them. They may feel pain, which increases their stress.
- Try to avoid other stressful situations as well, such as adding new birds to the flock or moving them to a new coop. Adding more stress will simply slow down the feathering process - or make your flock unwell.
- Watch out for hens who are often lower on the pecking order, so that they won't be pecked or bullied during this vulnerable time.
- During molting, the chicken's immune system can be depleted as it uses all its energy to make feathers. Watch for any other signs of illness.
- You should not add extra light to your coop in order to encourage egg production when your chickens are molting. The depletion of their systems will be dangerous if they are forced to lay.
- You shouldn't dress your chickens in sweaters! This is going to hurt them! It's not necessary for them - they must be able to grow their pin feathers without interference.
Molting can cause stress to birds. The feeling of vulnerability may make them avoid going outside. You can ensure your chickens' molting is painless and hassle-free by understanding what it is, how to handle it, and what you need to do. More information on this topic can be found in the following articles:
- What Happens When Chickens Molt?
- Feather Molt: An In-depth Look at Molting
- Chickens Losing Feathers? Managing Your Flock's Molt
