Got another one .. "dumb" question that is

[canesisters]

I hope that I'm not becoming the "asker of all things not necessary to ask"...

But I've got another question.
Today I was visiting a large coop that belonged to a friend of a friend. I'm trying to gather as much info on the practical day to day care as I can before I actually get my girls (part of why I LOVE this site!!!)
There were feathers EVERYWHERE. Stuck in the fencing, covering everything inside the shed/coop, scattered lightly for a pretty good space around the run. I didn't want to appear ungrateful for the tour so I didn't ask if there was something wrong with her chickens..
Question - is this normal? I mean, I'd expect a few feathers around all the time... my dogs leave dog hair where they hang out - my cats leave cat hair - my horses even leave bits of main/tail stuck in the fence and a dusting of hair/dirt covering where ever they get groomed. But when I say the coop was covered, I mean COVERED.
Other question - can chicken feathers be composted?

 

[Omran]

Quote:
may be the rooster she has is an agressiove one, or may be some of her chickens are molting, which is very normal for adult hens. so no worry.

 

[jmtcmkb]

I think this may be the time of year when they moult.. lose feather and grow new ones, maybe that's why you saw so many feathers... Just a uneducated guess

 

[citychickx6]

Good heavens I hope so. I have young pullets 19 weeks old and I have a lot of feathers on the ground. Mine chickens are still nice and fluffy. (they don't like to be called fat lol) When I had chickens last I was in the country and had lots of feathers there too. Five years of chickens there and the only deaths I had were a banty hen that went broody in January and one that I am still convinced the ex drowned.

As to the composting I am curious as well.

 

[Sandy16]

Maybe one or more of her hens was molting. When ours molt, feathers are everywhere and it looks like we should have bald chickens running around!

Not sure about composting the feathers....

 

[onthespot]

I have feathers everywhere...

fall moult