When can I expect a molt?

[JoCin]

Good Morning BYC! Since this is my first time raising chickens I was wondering if I might get some advice on when to expect my hens to have their first molt. They were born January 2024. They are currently 7 months old. From what I have researched I think they will skip a molt this fall, but when would their molt take place? I don't think their bodies would wait until next fall, correct? Thanks.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

They might go through a mini molt in-between now and next fall, but most likely they will not go through a full molt until around next fall.

 

[Ridgerunner]

From what I have researched I think they will skip a molt this fall,

Yes, you get that all the time on this forum. From my experience, nothing to do with any living animal (not just chickens) is that set in stone. Each is an individual.

Some pullets will molt in their first fall. Production type chickens and dual-purpose chickens often will skip the molt and continue laying throughout the winter. Decorative chickens are more likely to molt their first fall. Still, each is an individual. You don't get guarantees either way.

but when would their molt take place?

Different things can cause a molt. The main one is the days getting shorter in the fall. As long as there is no artificial light for them practically every hen will molt when the days get shorter. While some pullets skip the molt their first year all hens should molt their second.

Sometimes stress can cause a molt. This may be a minimolt where they only lose a few feathers or they may go through a full-fledged molt. Going without water for a few days can cause this kind of stress. Integrating new chickens or a change in the pecking order might. A change in housing like new nests or coop modifications might. Moving them to a new coop might.

You will notice I'm using a lot of weasel words such as "can" or "might". These things do not always cause a molt or minimolt. Seldom are all hens affected.

I love this story. If you are a parent you may appreciate it, a kid not so much. I had a hen hatch and raise chicks in late summer. The stress of raising those chicks caused her to go through a full molt while she was raising them. She had weaned her chicks and finished her molt by the time the rest of the flock molted in the fall and stopped laying. She had started laying eggs again by the time the rest of the older hens molted and stopped laying. She continued to give me large eggs all through winter until the next fall's molt.

I don't think their bodies would wait until next fall, correct?

Sometimes, each is an individual. The commercial laying hybrids may lay constantly for 13 to 15 months before productivity drops enough that they have to be molted or replaced. This does not mean all hens drop production in that time span but enough that the flock is no longer economical. A lot are still laying well but enough are not laying that it is no longer profitable to feed and house all of them.

I don't know of any specific studies on dual purpose chickens. From what I've seen I'd expect it to be all over the board, even more than the commercial hybrids. Not knowing your breeds or where you live but assuming the northern hemisphere and dual purpose breeds, I'd expect most if not all of your pullets to start laying this fall and continue to lay over winter into next year. Some may molt (full or mini) before the big molt next fall but probably not all. All of them should molt the following fall.

 

[2iceblest]

Good Morning BYC! Since this is my first time raising chickens I was wondering if I might get some advice on when to expect my hens to have their first molt. They were born January 2024. They are currently 7 months old. From what I have researched I think they will skip a molt this fall, but when would their molt take place? I don't think their bodies would wait until next fall, correct? Thanks.

Mine were born, June, 2023, and did not molt their first autumn but are dropping some feathers in early August, 2024, and it is all four of them.
Same feed; same supplements.
It was very hot then turned much cooler this past weekend.
No predators, no changes.
Just the same happy and healthy hens.
Makes zero sense to me.

 

[BackyardinWales]

My one hen is going through her first molt at 14 months old, her sister has been broody so hasn't molted, and my 3 pullets haven't (and I don't expect will) moult this year, though one or two 'half quills' are sticking out.

 

[Mrs. K]

What to expect? Expect them to look like they have a terrible disease, partied all night and are walking in with tufts standing out in weird places. There will be feathers everywhere, and a lot of them do it with the in the middle of winter, when the temperatures are dropping.

The hen house will look like an explosion of feathers, like raccoons and feather pillows had a fight.

Some birds molt hard, I had a white leg horn, that nearly dropped every feather in two days, two weeks later - her beautiful white feathers were so shiny it made your eyes hurt.

Some molt slow, here a feather, there a patch, some over there.

But they look like they all have new dresses when it is over!

Mrs K

 

[BackyardinWales]

I look forward to my ladies being their glorious selves again sometime soon.