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

[Vickis Girls]

Yes, it happens every year in the fall, as the daylight hours decrease. Not all of mine have molted yet. I have some that are right in the middle of their molt, and others that are still laying for me, they will molt later.

No, it's not necessarily as hard of a molt every year. It depends on how tattered their feathers are. My hatchery Barred Rock (pictured last year in this thread) looks perfectly fine this year. She looks like she didn't need a hard molt this year. (it's just more fun taking pictures of the hens that molt hard)

Happy Chooks,

"Didn't need a hard molt"? I'm curious as to why they need a hard molt. Seems like their feathers should last a long time. Or am I completely missing the point?

 

[caleb t]

They say pictures are worth a thousand words, so I thought I'd share my picture for all those new to chicken raising on what it looks like when a chicken molts.


Now keep in mind, this hen is going through a very hard molt. (she didn't molt this badly last year)  She's a 2 1/2 year old Sicilian Buttercup.  You can also see that her comb is shriveled up.

What does moulting do to them?

 

[cafarmgirl]

What does moulting do to them?

Molting is simply the natural process a birds body goes through of replacing old feathers with new ones.

 

[Happy Chooks]

What does moulting do to them?

It is the replacement of feathers.

Happy Chooks,

"Didn't need a hard molt"? I'm curious as to why they need a hard molt. Seems like their feathers should last a long time. Or am I completely missing the point?

She didn't go naked like last year, instead, she grew in her feathers slowly. It all depends on how tattered their feathers are. Tattered or damaged feathers do not retain warmth for winter. So they replace them to be able to keep warm through winter, and raise offspring in the spring.

 

[TheBeardie]

In advanced sorry for the duck question

I have a question, since duck molts are the same, why is my male duck having Such a color change? He is having a light molt and some more white feathers( originally all black with some white every light molt) are coming in, so when all his feathers come in he will have a white head and boobies (just a little fun), he is over two years old, I don't know exactly how old he is, so has anyone had a change of This magnitude with chickens /ducks?
This is him four days ago. Keep in mind he was all black at first.

P.S if you have experienced This pictures always help

 

[aart]

In advanced sorry for the duck question

I have a question, since duck molts are the same, why is my male duck having Such a color change? He is having a light molt and some more white feathers( originally all black with some white every light molt) are coming in, so when all his feathers come in he will have a white head and boobies (just a little fun), he is over two years old, I don't know exactly how old he is, so has anyone had a change of This magnitude with chickens /ducks?
This is him four days ago. Keep in mind he was all black at first.



P.S if you have experienced This pictures always help

I would add what breed of duck it is and post in the duck forum, you will likely get much better and/or quicker answers.

I do know that there is one kind of duck that can change like this (can't remember what it is tho).
I believe any bird can start showing recessive genetics after a molting during adulthood......so if this a mixed breed, that could be why also.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Agreed, I would post it in the Duck section of the forum. I know absolutely nothing about ducks. (other than they quack and swim)

 

[TheBeardie]

Actually I have. I didn't get a response that helped, no one knew about the color change or why it is happening. I though since ducks and chickens go through the same molt I would try This. I wasn't expecting any one to have a clear response. I just wanted to see if anyone knows about the color changes in ducks, or chickens, I just don't know that much about molting so it was worth the try.

 

[ivan3]

Actually I have. I didn't get a response that helped, no one knew about the color change or why it is happening. I though since ducks and chickens go through the same molt I would try This. I wasn't expecting any one to have a clear response. I just wanted to see if anyone knows about the color changes in ducks, or chickens, I just don't know that much about molting so it was worth the try.

If anything like chooks genetics/diet play into change in coloration over each successive molt. Our Black Sex Link hens all started out solidly black. By the third year some reddish feathers on some of their breasts was makiing its appearance, by the sixth year (in at least one girl)? Our remaining, 10yr. old, BSL hen (no reddish feathers ever) has, for the past two years, been producing washed out white tips on secondary flight & tail feathers. Both the red/white are expressions of parental attributes (precisely why such appear as they get older? possibly masked early on as a result of "breeding history", i.e., goal of breeders). Don't know about reproductive fitness/mate choice in waterfowl. In turkey hens the choice of mate has more to do with the quality of the iridescence of the tom's feathers, an aspect that is impacted by potential mate's coping with environmental challenges, e.g., diet/disease/overall thriftiness; color of feathers, per se, isn't a consideration. Some info on colors in birds: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/studying/feathers/color/document_view

 

[TheBeardie]

If anything like chooks genetics/diet play into change in coloration over each successive molt. Our Black Sex Link hens all started out solidly black. By the third year some reddish feathers on some of their breasts was makiing its appearance, by the sixth year (in at least one girl)? Our remaining, 10yr. old, BSL hen (no reddish feathers ever) has, for the past two years, been producing washed out white tips on secondary flight & tail feathers. Both the red/white are expressions of parental attributes (precisely why such appear as they get older? possibly masked early on as a result of "breeding history", i.e., goal of breeders). Don't know about reproductive fitness/mate choice in waterfowl. In turkey hens the choice of mate has more to do with the quality of the iridescence of the tom's feathers, an aspect that is impacted by potential mate's coping with environmental challenges, e.g., diet/disease/overall thriftiness; color of feathers, per se, isn't a consideration. Some info on colors in birds: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/studying/feathers/color/document_view

Thank you for the information.