2 year old barred rock molted in Oct and again in Feb - is that normal?

[Sheri460]

I have a 2 year old barred rock hen that went through a molt back in Oct/Nov 2022. It wasn't a super hard molt, but it definitely wasn't a light one either. Then she got her feathers back and started laying, no issues. February 1, 2023 I started seeing her feathers all around the run again and she stopped laying. Now it's obvious she's molting again but it's in different areas than her Oct/Nov molt was. Is that normal? I don't know why she'd be molting in the middle of winter? Thankfully it's been milder than normal here and it's actually in the low 50s today. But I've never heard of molts being that close together. Has anyone else seen this?

 

[ChickenHeartedHen]

from experience, most hens will molt in the time range of spring and fall. (meaning usually in spring or fall) i suppose maybe your hen could have molted as early as February?

 

[My Three Chicks]

Did she go through anything stressful or any illness or any major changes? That could be triggering the current molt. Since it seems unusual to be molting so soon after her other molt.
I have a Dominique that molted (although not fully) in Oct. Then late mid Dec her bestie passed away and I left for 10 days for VC (I had a in-home house/dog/chicken sitter take care of them). She started to molt again end of Dec. And got scaly leg mites (the other 2 birds did not). I think the stress triggered the molt and reduced her immune system and made her prone to scaly mites. Thankfully she just about this mini-molt last week.
Just a thought.

 

[Mrs. K]

It would be unusual, but there really isn't anything you can do about it. She may always double molt. It is probably a genetic trait. Molting is kind of like children and growing. You give them reasonable feed and sleep... and they grow. Some grow more, some grow less - but you really can't change that, or influence how much or when it happens.

You might not want to hatch her eggs.

 

[maryn7]

My LB did the same thing. She's a year and a half and it's her first molt.

She lost all her butt and neck feathers - not a hard molt, but definitely a molt - about late Oct/early Nov. Started laying again. Then thinned out her back about a month and a half ago. Started laying again. Now she's lost her wing feathers (maybe two weeks ago) and has stopped laying again.

Tbh I prefer this to a totally naked, shivering chicken in December, so I'll take it.

If she seems to be losing feathers in the same places again, though, do look her over for an injury. I had a pullet sprain her leg somehow and it triggered a molt.

 

[Sheri460]

Thank you for all the feedback and advice. I'll check her over closely to make sure there isn't something else going on that could have triggered this. Her neck and butt are both almost naked. During her molt in Oct she did not lose her neck feathers, but this time her neck is almost bare.

 

[maryn7]

It's so undignified, especially the bare butts and necks; I always feel so bad for them.

Depending on the feed you use, a high protein feed usually helps with feather growth (my girls are always on a 20% chick starter with oyster on the side). I also usually hand out some wet cat food, scrambled egg or tuna to the molters, too, because I am a pushover.

Sending good feather-growing vibes.

 

[ShannaES]

I have a 2 year old barred rock hen that went through a molt back in Oct/Nov 2022. It wasn't a super hard molt, but it definitely wasn't a light one either. Then she got her feathers back and started laying, no issues. February 1, 2023 I started seeing her feathers all around the run again and she stopped laying. Now it's obvious she's molting again but it's in different areas than her Oct/Nov molt was. Is that normal? I don't know why she'd be molting in the middle of winter? Thankfully it's been milder than normal here and it's actually in the low 50s today. But I've never heard of molts being that close together. Has anyone else seen this?

 

[ShannaES]

I'm dealing with this right now. My 1 yo Silver Laced Orp had a mini molt in late fall and is now in a full blown molt. i did have a lice
outbreak and she had them the worst. I'm assuming that triggered the molt. I'm trying to supplement with high protein "treats" like BSF grubs, sprouted lentils and occasional chopped hard boiled egg. I was really thrown for a loop until I figured out it was another molt, lol