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

[dpenning]

They can get red from being picked on during their molt. Red skin can also indicate lice or mites. Have you checked for them? Flip them upside down and look for little brown bugs around their vent. (lice) For mites, you need to look at night.

LOL! With my girls you would need to look for anything at night, its the only time I could catch them.

 

[ragnarok100]

One of my 18 month old hens went into a hard molt this morning. Good thing I saw this post because I freaked out when I saw all the feathers in the coop. I thought for sure there would be a chicken carcass laying around. It looked like a pillow fight gone wrong. About how long does it take the feathers to come back in?

 

[Happy Chooks]

One of my 18 month old hens went into a hard molt this morning. Good thing I saw this post because I freaked out when I saw all the feathers in the coop. I thought for sure there would be a chicken carcass laying around. It looked like a pillow fight gone wrong. About how long does it take the feathers to come back in?

It depends on the hen, but average is about 3 months, some are a bit faster, some are a bit slower.

 

[lynnc1120]

OK so I have this RIR that is about 1.5 years old. I know I should be expecting molt. I don't see lots of missing feathers or anything, but she stopped laying eggs and is not interested in crushed oyster shell or egg shell. I she experiencing and EASY molt?

 

[Happy Chooks]

She probably just hasn't started to explode feathers yet. Some do molt worse than others. Each hen is a individual.

 

[lynnc1120]

Thanks Happy, its tough going out to the nest and getting NO eggs! I do love my ladies though...

 

[Happy Chooks]

That's why we hatch every year.

 

[RobJones]

I've had chickens now for almost 2 years and have not really experienced a molt, at the moment egg production is down by 60% there are a more feathers on the floor of the pen than normal but none of the hens are looking like they are molting, can it be they are molting ?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yep, they are starting. Soon, you will have one that explodes feathers. Even though I'm prepared for it every year, there is always one hen that I have to search for because of all the feathers.

My egg production is pathetic right now. If they aren't molting, they are raising babies. Thank goodness for the pullets that are just starting laying. It's a sad day when you have over 50 chickens, and you get 3 eggs. Got 5 so far today, and that is a good day!

 

[NJNchickensfarm]

will they lay eggs well molting ????