7 Month old Welsummers molting already?

[andreanar]

I have a 22 week old going thru molt. Its not naked anywhere, but the amount of feathers falling out and the amount of pin feathers coming in is astonishing in a bird so young.

 

[Andylbc]

SO i guess my girls are at the mercy of an uncommon Molting process and hopefully get through it as quick as possible because they do not seem too impressed by all this. Is there anything you can do to make them more comfortable? how do you De-stress a molting chicken?

 

[Andylbc]

I have a 22 week old going thru molt. Its not naked anywhere, but the amount of feathers falling out and the amount of pin feathers coming in is astonishing in a bird so young.

yeah mine have a lovely shine to their feathers and they are all fully clothed but i think ive thrown at least 2 bags full of feathers out..

 

[dunnmom]

SO i guess my girls are at the mercy of an uncommon Molting process and hopefully get through it as quick as possible because they do not seem too impressed by all this. Is there anything you can do to make them more comfortable? how do you De-stress a molting chicken?

Lol! I have NO idea. I think they just have to get through it. I just tried not to handle mine, tried not to stress them further, and fed them scrambled eggs and BOSS until they started laying again. Luckily for mine, they molted in the winter so we didn't have to mow the yard or anything. They hate that.

 

[aart]

I think part of the reason they preen so much during molting is their skin is extra sensitive and irritable. I can't imagine growing pinfeathers would be very pleasant. I think this is also why they don't usually want to be handled while molting, either. Mine always acted irritable and kind of down in the dumps while molting.

It probably is 'itchy'. They are preening off the waxy sheathing that encases the new feathers.....that preened off sheathing is one of the main components of 'chicken dust'. I see a lot of it on the poop boards during molting.

SO i guess my girls are at the mercy of an uncommon Molting process and hopefully get through it as quick as possible because they do not seem too impressed by all this. Is there anything you can do to make them more comfortable? how do you De-stress a molting chicken?

Just let them be, handle them less, provide good protein - especially animal protein.

 

[dunnmom]

It probably is 'itchy'. They are preening off the waxy sheathing that encases the new feathers.....that preened off sheathing is one of the main components of 'chicken dust'. I see a lot of it on the poop boards during molting.

Just let them be, handle them less, provide good protein - especially animal protein.

My mom feeds her molting hens canned mackerel as an extra protein source. I see a lot of people on the forums feed fish to their molters.

 

[aart]

My mom feeds her molting hens canned mackerel as an extra protein source. I see a lot of people on the forums feed fish to their molters.

That's a good one, much better than cat food.

 

[Andylbc]

Thanks everyone for help with my girls. I Think the Molting has passed as they have some great color back in their feathers. Still No eggs yet from any of them after 9 months (32 weeks) but they seem happy.

 

[Andylbc]