Chicken loosing feathers

[Bmxer883]

As you can see I noticed a my chickens have had more feathers on ground but thought maybe they were getting ready for winter. Today I noticed this one missing a lot is this normal or something going on? Also they free range and are not kept in a nasty area like in photo lol

 

[Eggcessive]

That chicken is molting. There should be pretty new feathers soon.

 

[Bmxer883]

That chicken is molting. There should be pretty new feathers soon.

Do they do that fall and spring? I've had chickens for 4-5 years now think I'd remember lol

 

[Chive]

Do they do that fall and spring? I've had chickens for 4-5 years now think I'd remember lol

They normally just molt in the fall. They lose old feathers and grow in new feathers to get ready for winter.

 

[WingsysRoost]

That's quite the hard molt! This happens with some chickens. They lose feathers all at once and grow them back just as quickly, rather than a slower molt where they change feathers out a few at a time. Supplementing with extra protein (egg and canned fish are good options; I also give mine a mash made out of chick starter for additional protein) will help the growth of new feathers.

Do they do that fall and spring? I've had chickens for 4-5 years now think I'd remember lol

I've had chickens attempt to regrow feathers in spring and summer (after another chicken had plucked them), but actual molting generally will happen in the fall (or in December and January when there is about a foot of snow on the ground, if they are like some of mine).

It can be possible to miss when they molt, because it isn't always this dramatic. I also have a few birds that seemed to have either skipped their molt completely last winter, or didn't molt all of their feathers when they did (just based on how worn they are currently), so that could be part of it, too.