17-18 weeks - feathers everywhere. First molt, then eggs?

[Faracas]

Hello BYC,

I have a mixed group in my coup. 3 banties that are of age and have been giving me eggs for a month or so, and 4 others (RIR, BR, BA, EE) that were hatched in late March. My three little girls have not been laying in the past week, although I just moved/rearranged the coop and they might be adjusting. This morning I go out ot the coup, and both coup and run are littered with feathers, from everybody. They're all fine, no predators - just getting scraggly. Is it normal for everyone to molt at once, and is it normal for my younger girls to molt before they have laid their first eggs?

THANKS!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yes, it's normal. They lose a lot of feathers when they are getting their adult feathers in.

 

[dee88]

What I have read is that chickens usually molt when the light source starts to dwindle and the days begin to get shorter (around September depending on where you live) This is a signal to the birds that it's time to prepare for the coming cold weather. It usually takes around 14 to 16 weeks under normal conditions. BUT if a layer molts early and only after laying eggs for a few months, then it could take up to 6 months to get their new feathers. What I've read is that a good layer will lay eggs for a year or more before their 1st molting process. The best layers molt late and fast. The poorest layers start early and molt slowly. Usually a hen stops laying during the molting or at least slows down. Also, molting out of season can be a sign of disease or stress, so maybe moving or redoing your coop stressed them out. If this is the case, a stress-induced molt is usually partial and doesn't cause a drop in laying.(or so the book says) Your young chickens shouldn't molt until after they have laid eggs for about a year. I'm no pro but I have been reading a lot. You might want to give them a reliable source of animal protein which is rich in the amino acids a chicken needs during the molt. A high quality cat food, raw meat (not chicken), scrambled eggs, sprouted grains, or mealworms to name a few.

Maybe an experienced chicken breeder/owner can give you advice based on his experience. Mine comes from a book. I just read about the molting process today. It really is interesting.