Are they starting to molt?

[lexidowney]

I’m wondering if these are signs of my girls starting to molt or something else? They are about a year and a half so this is their first time molting as they didn’t last year so I’m curious what to expect! One girl in particular has been looking pretty rough. She was broody for a couple days about 2 weeks ago and I think lost some feathers from that but I’ve been finding tons of feathers in the run and inside the coop. I’ve noticed another girls feathers are looking a little sparse by her tail too. I live in Delaware and we’ve had some cooler than regular summer temps recently. Is this the time they will begin to start molting? Is there anything specific I should be doing to support them during this time? Thanks!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sure sounds like molting.

I live in Delaware and we’ve had some cooler than regular summer temps recently. Is this the time they will begin to start molting?

What causes the regular fall molt is the days getting shorter, not temperatures. In Delaware you have lost about an hour and a half of daylight since your summer solstice, from about 15 hours of sunlight a day to 13-1/2 hours today. Most chickens tend to wait until a little later in the season to molt but 1-1/2 hours of getting shorter is substantial. I've had a broody hen start the molt early also so that might factor in with that one hen. It is very possible also that only some of your hens have started the molt.

Is there anything specific I should be doing to support them during this time?

Not in my opinion but a lot of people I respect on this forum disagree. In nature, with a feral flock, the hens stop laying eggs when they molt. The nutrients that were going to egg production are diverted to making new feathers. Nature took care of that.

Some people think increasing the protein content of their food will get them through the molt faster. Again, I disagree. What controls the speed of the molt is not how fast the feathers grow back, it is how fast they fall out. That is controlled by genetics. When some start the molt the feathers fall out in clumps. These may be over the molt in a month or so. Some may take 4 months for all of their feathers to fall out. No matter how much you feed them these are not going to get over it any faster. With these you cannot tell by looking at them walking by that they are molting. Your best way to recognize it is to look for extra feathers flying around.

It will not hurt them to increase the protein if you want to. You probably have some still laying when others are molting so don't get too ridiculous about it. Everything in moderation.

Just for fun, I'll link last year's molting contest on this forum. That will show you how bad it can be.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...est-worst-chicken-molt-pictures-2024.1641076/

 

[lexidowney]

Sure sounds like molting.


What causes the regular fall molt is the days getting shorter, not temperatures. In Delaware you have lost about an hour and a half of daylight since your summer solstice, from about 15 hours of sunlight a day to 13-1/2 hours today. Most chickens tend to wait until a little later in the season to molt but 1-1/2 hours of getting shorter is substantial. I've had a broody hen start the molt early also so that might factor in with that one hen. It is very possible also that only some of your hens have started the molt.


Not in my opinion but a lot of people I respect on this forum disagree. In nature, with a feral flock, the hens stop laying eggs when they molt. The nutrients that were going to egg production are diverted to making new feathers. Nature took care of that.

Some people think increasing the protein content of their food will get them through the molt faster. Again, I disagree. What controls the speed of the molt is not how fast the feathers grow back, it is how fast they fall out. That is controlled by genetics. When some start the molt the feathers fall out in clumps. These may be over the molt in a month or so. Some may take 4 months for all of their feathers to fall out. No matter how much you feed them these are not going to get over it any faster. With these you cannot tell by looking at them walking by that they are molting. Your best way to recognize it is to look for extra feathers flying around.

It will not hurt them to increase the protein if you want to. You probably have some still laying when others are molting so don't get too ridiculous about it. Everything in moderation.

Just for fun, I'll link last year's molting contest on this forum. That will show you how bad it can be.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/official-byc-contest—post-your-best-worst-chicken-molt-pictures-2024.1641076/

Thank you so much for all the helpful info!! Wow okay I did not expect them to look like that during molting atleast I won’t be shocked now! Thanks again!

 

[lexidowney]

I have another question to add- she is the only one out of my flock who is molting, but she’s still laying eggs?? Is this normal? Her feather are beginning to grow back rather fast too as I can see them coming in!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have another question to add- she is the only one out of my flock who is molting, but she’s still laying eggs?? Is this normal?

What are you feeding her? A high protein diet? It is normal for them to stop laying when they molt but we have domesticated them and specially bred some of them to lay a lot of eggs. I've never noticed it (which may mean I was not paying attention) but some people I trust on this forun say they have had a hen lay eggs while molting.

Her feather are beginning to grow back rather fast too as I can see them coming in!

Nothing unusual about that.

 

[lexidowney]

What are you feeding her? A high protein diet? It is normal for them to stop laying when they molt but we have domesticated them and specially bred some of them to lay a lot of eggs. I've never noticed it (which may mean I was not paying attention) but some people I trust on this forun say they have had a hen lay eggs while molting.


Nothing unusual about that.

I feed them Producers Pride 16% layer feed mixed with scratch grains.

What are you feeding her? A high protein diet? It is normal for them to stop laying when they molt but we have domesticated them and specially bred some of them to lay a lot of eggs. I've never noticed it (which may mean I was not paying attention) but some people I trust on this forun say they have had a hen lay eggs while molting.


Nothing unusual about that.

I feed them Producers Pride 16% layer feed mixed with scratch grains. Also occasional meal worms.

 

[lexidowney]

I feed them Producers Pride 16% layer feed mixed with scratch grains.

I feed them Producers Pride 16% layer feed mixed with scratch grains. Also occasional meal worms.

I feed them Producers Pride 16% layer feed mixed with scratch grains.

I feed them Producers Pride 16% layer feed mixed with scratch grains. Also occasional meal worms.

She is an Isa Brown

 

[Ridgerunner]

On one hand a 16% protein feed is not a high protein feed, especially as she also gets low protein scratch grains. On the other hand an ISA Brown is a commercial laying breed, specially bred to convert a lot of what she eats to eggs.