Chick molting at 5.5 weeks old?

[chickenlover89]

My chicks (5.5 wks old) moved out to the coop a week ago, and my delaware chick has been losing a lot of feathers, any idea if she is molting, or getting picked on? is there anything i should do?

 

[Ridgerunner]

That's a little young, but chicks go through two molts before they reach adult size. I'd really expect your first molt in another 2 to 3 weeks, not this early. It may be nothing, but the first thing I'd do is check for mites and lice. If it is roost mites, those only come out in the dark so you need to take a flashlight out after dark and check around the vent area. They will run from light so try to keep it fairly dark when you are doing this.

It's possible that the other chicks are pecking the feathers, but they usually eat them when they peck them. Of course, with chickens what they usually do and what yours actually do are often different things.

It may have something to do with stress, maybe from heat or something else.

I'd check for mites and lice but otherwise really would not over-worry about it. It's an indication that something might be wrong, not a guarantee that something actually is.

Good luck!

 

[chickenlover89]

thanks so much! she isn't losing that many feathers anymore, but it was never at once, it was at different times. i will go check for mites now, thanks!

 

[chickenlover89]

my chickens are now 7wks old, should i be expecting a molt soon? if they have roost mites, what should i do about it? if they have mites or lice, would they run when you check if they have them?