Early molting = bad winter?

[Fallenone05]

Not really sure where to put this thread but bear with me

My birds have always molted sometime between the tail end of August to November, when daylight really starts decreasing.

This year it started in June.

I thought maybe it was because of their age. They didn't molt last year due to hatch time so they're doing their adult molt now. But now my older hens are also molting.

I know that heat can cause them to molt a little, and SE Oklahoma has been absolutely ridiculous with the heat and heat index this year.

But I also wonder if we're going to have another bad winter freeze. Last year they molted a little earlier than usual too, but nothing in June. They had pristine feathers for when the snow and ice hit, though!

Has anyone else noticed an earlier molt trend when winter is going to be bad? Or am I just tying together coincidences?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Not really sure where to put this thread but bear with me

My birds have always molted sometime between the tail end of August to November, when daylight really starts decreasing.

This year it started in June.

I thought maybe it was because of their age. They didn't molt last year due to hatch time so they're doing their adult molt now. But now my older hens are also molting.

I know that heat can cause them to molt a little, and SE Oklahoma has been absolutely ridiculous with the heat and heat index this year.

But I also wonder if we're going to have another bad winter freeze. Last year they molted a little earlier than usual too, but nothing in June. They had pristine feathers for when the snow and ice hit, though!

Has anyone else noticed an earlier molt trend when winter is going to be bad? Or am I just tying together coincidences?

Mine started molting last month. It's supposed to be a wet/warm winter from what I've seen for this year.

 

[Evadig]

All my birds (both ducks and chickens) are molting now too. I thought that was a bit strange!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Mine are molting now too, but my theory for here is all of the storms we have had. We had weeks and weeks of daily thunderstorms with little to no sun just dark cloudy days. Also for reference even my first season layers are molting.

 

[Evadig]

Mine are molting now too, but my theory for here is all of the storms we have had. We had weeks and weeks of daily thunderstorms with little to no sun just dark cloudy days.

Not us...blue skies for the last month and half with nary a raindrop in sight!

 

[ChicNmom]

My older hens 6 to 11 years old all molt early. Two have started already this year. My younger ones all look fine. It's been a warmer summer here.

 

[rosemarythyme]

From what I've seen older hens tend to molt earlier and stop laying for the season earlier as well, so that might account for any older birds you have.

 

[SourRoses]

Feathers don't come downloaded with a predictive algorithm for weather forecasting.

Most likely, it's just the age discrepancies that Rosemarythyme mentioned.

But if the weather is triggering an early molt it would be because of the climate conditions experienced at the onset, not what's to come.
It could be the heat, or maybe it could be solar radiation / magnetic field.
Chickens already rely on light levels to trigger hormones from the pituitary gland, prompting onset and cessation of laying.
We are entering a phase where the sun is more active. Whether chickens are affected by that is not studied (this is just a theory!), but as birds they are very sensitive to certain environmental cues that we are not.

One Reason Migrating Birds Get Lost Is Out of This World

Do Aurora-Causing Solar Storms Mess with Migrating Wildlife?

What Are Solar Flares and Do They Affect Birds?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Feathers don't come downloaded with a predictive algorithm for weather forecasting.

Most likely, it's just the age discrepancies that Rosemarythyme mentioned.

But if the weather is triggering an early molt it would be because of the climate conditions experienced at the onset, not what's to come.
It could be the heat, or maybe it could be solar radiation / magnetic field.
Chickens already rely on light levels to trigger hormones from the pituitary gland, prompting onset and cessation of laying.
We are entering a phase where the sun is more active. Whether chickens are affected by that is not studied (this is just a theory!), but as birds they are very sensitive to certain environmental cues that we are not.

One Reason Migrating Birds Get Lost Is Out of This World

Do Aurora-Causing Solar Storms Mess with Migrating Wildlife?

What Are Solar Flares and Do They Affect Birds?

My apple trees started shedding there leaves early this year as well. This seems to be an indicator of an early fall/winter as I've seen the same pattern last year, except with oak, & maple trees.

 

[Sally PB]

Mine started molting last month. It's supposed to be a wet/warm winter from what I've seen for this year.

I have three 4 year old Black Australorps. One of them stopped laying in June and started losing feathers about the same time. Now all three have stopped laying and have the porcupine look on their necks.

I'm hoping for a cold snowy winter to help reduce the number of mice, squirrels, and other small critters, because there are way too many this year!

Where did you hear about a warm winter?

From what I've seen older hens tend to molt earlier and stop laying for the season earlier as well, so that might account for any older birds you have.

It certainly seems true for my three. The rest of the birds are 3 years old and 1 year old. They are not molting. Some are not laying, but it's not related to a molt.