A little help here please - pullets molting!

[Tillie43]

I have six 40 week old pullets that appear to be molting. This is my first time raising chickens. I didn't think pullets this young would go thru a molt but three have lost their tail feathers and some of their downy butt fluff. I’m more concerned with my SLW who is now losing feathers around her neck and wings as well. They all are eating well and have plenty of water available. My fear is the cold winter weather is closing in fast. Do I need to do anything special to keep them warm? She looks so scraggly. I’ve checked for bugs and lice and found none. Any direction will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Al Capon]

Relax, chickens know what they're doing. Keep them clean, dry and out of drafts, give them some protein treats like mealworms for feather growth and a little scratch an hour before dark to increase their body temp, they'll probably be fine.

 

[Tillie43]

Relax, chickens know what they're doing.

Thanks for the encouraging words. I’m glad they know, cause I sure don’t. I’m learning fast tho.

 

[Al Capon]

Thanks for the encouraging words. I’m glad they know, cause I sure don’t. I’m learning fast tho.

I was in the same boat a year or two ago. One thing I've learned, if they're all doing it together at the same time, it's probably not a bad thing. It's the single chicken acting odd that you have to watch out for.

Mine are going thru their first complete adult molt, one of them was damn near naked a couple weeks ago. Poor chicken had a few feathers on her back, didn't figure there was any way she'd survive the cold, but she hung in there, new feathers are starting to ploof out this week.

Might help to find the Michigan state thread, talk to some other folks in your area..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/michigan-thread-all-are-welcome.697050/

 

[Al Capon]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...st-your-best-worst-chicken-molt-pics.1334957/

 

[Ebony Rose]

If you can bump their normal protein intake up some, you can also offer some rice and peas (they taste better if cooked) to increase the specific amino acids utilized by chickens for feather (re)growth. Consider the rice and peas as a treat, incorporating no more than 10% of their diet by weight, not volume, as both will significantly reduce their overall protein intake. The targeted amino acids specifically geared to their feathers seems a fair trade-off to me, and can easily be offset by adding some thoroughly moistened dry cat food for the huge boost in overall protein.
All of this "treat" food will make their molt feel much more bearable as the duration will be significantly less.

 

[Mrs. K]

if they are active, bright eyed, and eating and moving around, do not worry.

 

[Folly's place]

If you feed an all flock feed like 20% protein Flock Raiser, it works very well for them, and separate oyster shell makes up for the extra calcium needed by laying hens. Molting birds tend to lay few if any eggs too.
Make sure that mites or lice aren't present; go out at night with a flashlight and look closely at their skin, around the vent and neck, and under their wings.
Mary

 

[50-45-1]

i'm kind of skeptical of your 10 month old chickens going into molt.
if i were you i would watch for signs of feather picking.
i also have some chickens around that age and there is no sign of molting in them.
usually first molt occurs at 16-18 months.
are your chickens confined? How much room? do you have a rooster?

 

[Tillie43]

are your chickens confined? How much room?

Their coop is 6x8 with an 8x14 enclosed run. I let them out to roam about 5-6 hour a day. No rooster. I’ve talked with other chicken owners near me and some tell me they had pullets lose feathers at this age although not a complete molt. Others say no feather loss. Leave it to my girls to buck the system.