Chickens molting to early? (PICS ADDED)

[cluckmecoop7]

Hello everyone,

I have a flock of six pullets (will be hens in a little less than 2 months). I guess someone said that they shouldn't be having their first molt yet. This is their first winter and they are I guess a little over 10 months. Any ideas why they are molting already?
Thanks!
- Clucky

 

[Birdsong 82]

That does seem young. Could the loss of feathers be from something else? How bad is the molt?

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Some of them just molted a little (not very bad) but two or three lost lots of neck and head feathers. They all molted almost together. (Same time period.) It sure looked like a molt. Ideas?

 

[cluckmecoop7]

@aart @Wyorp Rock @ValerieJ?

 

[Birdsong 82]

Maybe a picture? Some of my younger ones went through what I called a mini molt. They weren't half naked like my other girls gate but it was enough so I could tell there was a little feather loss but not much but looking at the floor in the run it looked like one exploded

 

[Birdsong 82]

Are they growing pinfeathers in place of the ones they lost?

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Are they growing pinfeathers in place of the ones they lost?

Yes, they are. Most of them finished molting because of the cold weather. I will get pics. (I think I have some already of Dazzle a few weeks ago on my device.)

 

[Birdsong 82]

If they're growing pinfeathers back that's good and it probably was molt even though that is pretty early. That's what I would guess as long as everything else with them seems normal. Like they're eating drinking their droppings in behavior

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post photos?

Is it full or partial molt?
I've had several pullets have a soft molt around that age. I just make sure everyone is eating/drinking well, etc.

"Adult" molt is "usually" around the age of 16-18 months. I've also had a W Leghorn that didn't molt until this fall and she's over 2 1/2yrs old - she started laying eggs at 19weeks and didn't take a break until now. Every bird is a bit different and "timelines" are "guidelines".

 

[cluckmecoop7]

They are eating/drinking/acting normal i think. I'll pay closer attention to them and see for sure. I will get the pics as soon as I can. Some of them had a partial molt, but Dazzle and Melody are having what I call a "hard molt". More 'ideas'?

(Pics will be posted asap!)