Official BYC Contest: Worst Chicken Molt Pictures - Fall / Winter 2011 - Ended - Page 37

I am soo enjoying all these pictures.....  I dont remember my chickens being more than just a little scruffy during molt time.  I dont have chickens right now I have very young Guineas...  Next year will be for the chicken flock to get started.

I have a dumb question now.    How long does it take for a feather to grow till it looks like a feather instead of just a pointy quill.

Ha.  This was from 4 days ago.  She already looks much better.  Thank goodness.

That poor girl has got to be cold! BRRRRRRR!

They kinda remind me of Velcro when they molt all their feathers!!!

So true!

Do all chickens molt?  Some times I'll see a few feathers on the ground, but my chickens look nothing like these poor birds. (No bald spots)  Is there a certain age that chickens start molting?  Thanks, ~Julie~

They generally don't molt until the first fall after they turn a year. However, some of mine mini-molted (just along their heads or necks) the first year. Losing a feather or two otherwise is normal.

Well we adopted this hen below- we call her Bald Black because we have never seen her with feathers on her bum lol but really..... she is far prettier then the frizzle! But the past week or so she finally started getting more feathers on her back, above her tail. starting to look better and better! We are new to chickens and this is the first we have seen a moult.... really thought something was wrong with her!

I've got a few molting right now, but they seem to be growing feathers back in before getting this bad.. Maybe I'll be lucky this year and not have them be TOO bald? I have my camera ready just in case! I think my leghorns could be pretty pitiful when they decide to go.