can they molt so early

gallina man

Songster
9 Years
Jan 27, 2010
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0
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had my chickens 1 month now no eggs yet they are about 5 - 6 month now i noticed a bald spot on one of my chiickens head . can they molt so early on today another one is getting the same bald spot .there are feathers in the coop and run they just look real scruffy about the head can this happen so early on in life they are not been picked on as they get there fair share of food and pick on ot
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her hens should i be looking at other things i.e dis
eases help here is some pics

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A bald spot on the head often means picking by another hen and that can lead to blood. But if you think it's not that...

About molting... They will shed juvenile feathers quite often as they grow into their adult plumage. That isn't considered a molt. Their first BIG molt is usually 18 months old, but some will do a mini-molt at around 9 months old. My girl actually did a mini-molt last November when she was 7 months old. She stopped laying eggs and s-l-o-w-l-y dropped feathers all during winter. More than 2 months later, her comb & wattles got red again and she resumed egg-laying.

In a molt, you'll notice a definite paleness to their combs & wattles. If they haven't started laying eggs though, I would guess they are still shedding their juvie feathers.
 
I don't think so, if their age is really 5-6 months old What DOES indicate egg-laying is comb & wattles color. You won't get eggs until their combs & wattles grow noticeably redder - like bright cherry red. And when they start squatting for you. Squatting began, for my hens, about 1-2 weeks before they laid eggs.

It should be soon, for you, if they are healthy. The days are getting longer and that fact should help speed up their bodies' desire to lay eggs!
 

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