bald butt? start of molting???

[BarneyChick97]

My chickens are a year old now. I THINK they maybe molting? I noticed that one of our Wyandotte's had a more naked rear than usual. We don't have any roosters, but I have treated everyone for bugs last year....but not this year, yet. How long does it take for them to molt? And you don't get any eggs when they molt, right? Does anyone feed their chickens cat food when they are molting?? Something I heard when I got my chickens last year. If you do use cat food, what kind do you like?

 

[Kathryn4629]

When my BOs molted last fall the biggest thing I noticed was thin feathers on their butts. I thought that most chickens molted in the fall? I have no idea about the cat food. And yes they pretty much stop laying when molting, at least in my experience.

 

[chloezoebob101]

My chickens are a year old now. I THINK they maybe molting?
I noticed that one of our Wyandotte's had a more naked rear than usual. We don't have any roosters, but I have treated everyone for bugs last year....but not this year, yet.
How long does it take for them to molt?
And you don't get any eggs when they molt, right?
Does anyone feed their chickens cat food when they are molting?? Something I heard when I got my chickens last year.
If you do use cat food, what kind do you like?

1. They are probably molting, if you could, could you take a pic?
2. My sebright is just coming out of a molt, it took her a month. But she was a bantam, maybe for standard size it is more?
3. They stop laying
4. Do not feed your chickens cat food. It was designed for cats, not chickens. =D
5. I don't use cat food, I just let them continue on with their life like normal.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Check for mites also. Sometimes mites cause chickens too loose their rear feathers.

I feed my chickens kitten feed mixed up in their original feed. Scientists think (or discovered) chickens developed around an creek area from Red Jungle Fowl, they lived off of fish, and since kitten feed is like mostly fish, with that good protein I give it to them. Makes their feathers beautiful also. The kitten feed I use is Purina ONE, Smart Blend, kitten formula. Little pebble sized is the best for chickens.

Sometimes some chickens will molt their back area feathers. Stop, grow them in. Then molt their hackle feathers. And some just molt insanely. RIR's and Productions Reds I noticed go bare naked when they molt. My OEGB's do the molt procedure I mentioned above.

 

[BarneyChick97]

Okay, I know it's been a while since I posted this...but now I wonder if they are molting, or there is someone who's feather plucking? I noticed one girl had a bare rear, and now there are 2. We've used a "poultry dust" in the past (and still NEED to do it! hopefully TODAY!), but it's been a year or so since we did that. Bugs very well might be an issue. But this morning, one of the eggs I got was soft and broken. If they lay an egg during a molt or right before, is it soft? All the other girls laid a regular egg. I've looked at pictures of "molting chickens" on here, and they look goofy---so far, mine do not. They are all over a year old...so I guess I'm on pins and needles waiting for it to happen. I can try to take a picture later on today.

 

[mondotomhead]

My bantam barred rock is loosing feathers in her butt too. I've noticed now that even other feathers (hardly any really) are falling out. She's eating, drinking and acting normal.

Although, she did lay an egg yesterday.