For the new folks that haven't experienced a molt yet.

[Ascholten]

When mine first started molting, I walked out one day and seen this huge pile of feathers and immediately thought the worst! Luckily they did not get THAT bad, wow lol. It took almost a month tho for some of them to start laying eggs again. Glad it only happens once a year.

Aaron

 

[lv9777]

I have a 2 year old Barred Rock who has never molted. I have a 10 month old Maran who has 10 day old chicks and she is losing a lot of feathers (no bare spots). Cleaned and disinfected coop and saw no signs of insects. Everyone looks healthy. Is this a soft molt for my Maran? Also is it normal that my other hen has not molted to my knowledge?

 

[WIchickMama]

OK--saw this thread in the Best (Worst) Molt contest.....

I have had 2 chickens molt both over the winter last year when they were around 9 months or so. 4 have not molted at all, so I suspect in the next few weeks I will be seeing feathers!

I do have a hen that just hatched out chicks 2.5 weeks ago. She has never molted either (hatched March 2021) and is starting to lose a lot of feathers on the back of her neck. Lots out in the coop, is she molting? Pretty sure I see nice pin feathers coming in on her pink skin. I know extra protein is best but she is still at the stage where she gives the chicks most of the food she 'finds' and doesn't fully eat. I don't want to separate her to feed her from the chicks so are the chicks fine getting some tuna, eggs, etc?

Thanks!

 

[aart]

OK--saw this thread in the Best (Worst) Molt contest.....

I have had 2 chickens molt both over the winter last year when they were around 9 months or so. 4 have not molted at all, so I suspect in the next few weeks I will be seeing feathers!

I do have a hen that just hatched out chicks 2.5 weeks ago. She has never molted either (hatched March 2021) and is starting to lose a lot of feathers on the back of her neck. Lots out in the coop, is she molting? Pretty sure I see nice pin feathers coming in on her pink skin. I know extra protein is best but she is still at the stage where she gives the chicks most of the food she 'finds' and doesn't fully eat. I don't want to separate her to feed her from the chicks so are the chicks fine getting some tuna, eggs, etc?

Thanks!

If she's eating chick feed(18-20%) that'll be plenty.
Wouldn't hurt the chicks to have some scrambled eggs,
if your need to supplement is overwhelming.

 

[WIchickMama]

If she's eating chick feed(18-20%) that'll be plenty.
Wouldn't hurt the chicks to have some scrambled eggs,
if your need to supplement is overwhelming.

They are all eating All Flock so I think she should be ok, just wanting to know what chicks could eat or not eat. I mean they are out with mama anyway so who knows what they are eating.

 

[Scunner]

I have had my girls moulting before but this year Flash, one of the newbies, was worrying me until I saw comparative posts here. It's a bit chilly in NE England in November and I feel sorry for her... she's the only one as bad as this.