9 months old hens molting ??

[Morgan7782]

My Brahma looked like she lost a lot of weight, but I think it was mostly feathers. When I felt her she seemed as plump as always, but the feather loss makes them look... Well like they got tossed into a bad plucker lol

 

[Sagenovese]

I see this is an old post but it seems to answer my own question. I don't recall my hens going through a molt so their first year, but right now I have one of eight born in April who seems to be going through this. Her neck looks like a pin cushion with all the pin feathers coming up. and she lost her tail and new tail feathers are clearly growing out. We got zapped with a sudden significant cold shift and while all of my chickens are fine, she is shivering. She also looks pale and she is cranky. She is Swedish Flower Hen and among my most friendly birds but now runs away and screams if you catch her. I hope this is temporary as she was such a nice bird. So, I looked for lice and her skin is for all I can see, free of any creepy crawlies. I have never had mites and have heard that they are tiny and hard to see, but she has pale pink skin and I don't see anything on it. The new feathers look healthy coming in, too. I have been feeding BOSS and fly larvae for protein and just today tossed a little cat food their way. I think she has lost weight and that is why she is shivering.

I know that the extra protein is good. But what about the anemia? Do folks add an iron source for molting chickens? Anyone have suggestions for the best way to do that, if I should?

I think she would feel better and eat more if she wasn't so pale. She seems to be getting pushed around, too. She fit right in with the flock before but now seems to be at the bottom of the pecking order. I think it is because she feels rotten.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[cherrybombuk]

I see this is an old thread, yet it is just what I needed. Peach Fuzz, a little Bantam Easter Egger, is losing feathers. The first symptom was, though, she hasn't laid eggs in five days (and she is a regular little feather ball). Will up her protein and so forth to help her deal with this time. Thanks to the original poster and replies for the nine-months ”mini moult” heads up! #chickenlove

 

[Sally PB]

One of my three 8 month old girls is doing this now. She stopped laying, her comb and wattles shrank and got paler. Then one day I noticed her head had shrunk. No, not really. But she had lost the poofy feathers on her neck and had pin feather shafts showing, so it looked like her neck and head were smaller. She also lost the "flag" part of her tail. She'll just be all the prettier when she's back to normal and laying eggs... soon, I hope. I'm getting about 4 eggs per week out of the three of them.

 

[cherrybombuk]

One of my three 8 month old girls is doing this now. She stopped laying, her comb and wattles shrank and got paler. Then one day I noticed her head had shrunk. No, not really. But she had lost the poofy feathers on her neck and had pin feather shafts showing, so it looked like her neck and head were smaller. She also lost the "flag" part of her tail. She'll just be all the prettier when she's back to normal and laying eggs... soon, I hope. I'm getting about 4 eggs per week out of the three of them.

Don't know if it surprised you, @Sally PB It was startling when this happened (because I didn't know about the mini-moult). Poor little thing, your hen sounds temporarily pitiful. Hopefully, she’ll be floofy and full feathered soon (and laying eggs like gangbusters). Good luck!

 

[schan]

So glad I found this because out of my 10 girls I have two of them that are losing feathers at the back end and it looks like pins. I was worried something was wrong. The other ones are one and not doing this. They all eat the same thing. What is a good protien to give them?

 

[meganpemberton]

I’m going to echo the recent posts as well! This original question may be what was it 10 years old but SO GLAD I found it because it’s the first thing I’ve read/seen that didn’t say they go through their first moult after a year old. Noticed my 9 month old mix this morning looking like a porcupine! ofcourse immediately think lice/mites but other than the loss of feathers nothing else suggests that. Will still keep an eye out for that but all signs are pointing to an early mini moult. Once again Backyard Chickens is my favourite go to forum for all my chicklet needs/questions! Thanks for this question and all the answers and suggestions. Splash got her newest fav treat tonight… the mealworms!

 

[yakitori]

Middle of November, poor 9 month old girl. Im giving her access to the cat food for some extra protein

I noticed her looking a little frazzled and extra jumpy last week and thought the other girls must have been picking on her, odd because she should be in the top half of the pecking order. then one day her tail feathers were gone and I chased her down to check her over, suspecting mites. I found that she had stealthily shed half her feather in inconspicuous areas and have already grown the pin feathers out. My first ever first year moulter!