11 month old hen molting?

[Kad123]

This is Tiny. Tiny has been broody almost non stop since spring. I’ve been really busy, and so, my oldest daughter has mostly been caring for the chickens the last few weeks. Well, I got home from work tonight, and I went outside to collect eggs and do a health check, though, my daughters do a good job… I take one look at Tiny and think, “She looks off.” Her comb and wattles are pretty and red again, coming out of her broodiness, but this girl is loosing feathers all over. I didn’t see any obvious signs of mites and my other girls have not started to molt. She and one other hen are from my first clutch I hatched last October and are older than the others by a couple of months. Does this seem or sound normal? I’m still rounding out my first year with these girls. Thanks.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Molting can start as early as the end of July some years here. Most years it's August through November, but can run even longer. Each hen molts on her own schedule. I've also seen hens grow back missing feathers than molt afterwards. They can look and act off during a molt as I assume it's uncomfortable. As long as she's eating and drinking she should be fine.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Molting post broodiness is normal.