How long and frequently do hens molt?

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Hello chicken friends, questions about molting.
* do chickens molt 'kind of' only to maybe take a couple months break and kinda molt again? This seems to be the case with a couple of mine. Seen lots of the fluff feathers coming out back in September, and again now. Not a lot where there are bold spots but it seems one molted all her neck feathers and now 2 months later, im seeing the fluff feathers.
* will a chicken eventually molt ALL the feathers? Not at once or whatever, but, i know what a molt is, just not sure if ALL feathers get replaced? You can see in the pic, on the chicken on the right where her fluff is, sees couple feathers coming out. Thanks Alot

 

[Shadrach]

They can molt any time at any rate at any time of the year. With most, mid season moults are not sever and may not be noticed.
However, the vast majority of hens have a pre winter annual moult .

I recal reading that over a space of a year a hen will lose and replace all of her feathers but don't quote me on it because I can't find the study atm.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Ahh, thank you very much for that!

 

[3KillerBs]

Some chickens molt slowly and near-imperceptibly. Some drop so many feathers they look like they've gotten a job in a strip joint.

Some molt and regrow feathers smoothly, spending only a few weeks in the awkward stage. Some spend several months looking like a used dustmop.

Some have a light molt after being broody and a heavier molt in the fall.

It's really hard to predict.

You might find this thread interesting: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-molting-story.1504702/

Note: In old poultry books a late, hard, fast molt was considered the sign of a good layer who should be bred.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Some chickens molt slowly and near-imperceptibly. Some drop so many feathers they look like they've gotten a job in a strip joint.

Some molt and regrow feathers smoothly, spending only a few weeks in the awkward stage. Some spend several months looking like a used dustmop.

Some have a light molt after being broody and a heavier molt in the fall.

It's really hard to predict.

You might find this thread interesting: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-molting-story.1504702/

Note: In old poultry books a late, hard, fast molt was considered the sign of a good layer who should be bred.

Love it all. Thank you for all that 3KB. "Lookin' like a used dustmop" lmao

 

[3KillerBs]

Love it all. Thank you for all that 3KB. "Lookin' like a used dustmop" lmao

The Silver-Laced Cochin who is my son's pet hen has been looking like that since September -- but she's a massive overachiever because she continued to lay, being the mother of 4 of the chicks from my October hatch.