Cochins all 4 molting?

[luvzmybabz]

I have a few questions about molting. everypost I have read says are the pin feathers there what if they are there but mostly at level of shin, also do birds molt together for a reason. my sil told me the other day she tought the hens were getting picked at well it seems all my cochins the hens are just their necks so far and the roos the feathering on the back of their heads seem to be thinning out. I checked for lice but did not find any but spead out DE as it is time anyway. do birds normally do this together I also have a rir and 2 leghorns and they seem just fine. I would almost think mating as each roos favortie hen is looking bad but the backs of the roos heads? Not sure on age of 1 but other is actually a pullet about 8 to 9 months old.

How long does this normally last I have 4 chickens that lay regularly 1 is broody and these cochins are 2 of the others and the other one lays regularly just every 3 days (she is a little older).

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Chickens usually don't molt til Aug. thru Nov. and it can last as long as 3 or 4 months.....I had a RIR that molted thru Dec.....They usually all start their molt at the same time...just seem odd yours would molt in Feb...but I guess it can happen...my guess is picking since it's roosters too..maybe when they are together on the roosts in the evening, they are picking at each other....

 

[luvzmybabz]

They are still laying eggs so far and I would think pecking also but the 3 other hens (differednt breed) are all OK and the cochins are the top of the pecking order. You may be right because out of the 4 other hens I have right now the top from them is seperated and broody. but the cochins are definately the top over all. I will try to get some pictures today.

 

[s6bee]

I'm wondering the same thing. I have 5 hens and on any given day I get 4-5 eggs. Well the last 2 days I've only gotten 2.
They seem fine, I can't tell that feathers are missing. They are 7 months old, started laying at 25 weeks so for only 2 months have I gotten eggs. I read somewhere they will stop laying at around 6 months of age, for a bit, then kick it into gear again. Is this true. What are the other signs of molting other than waiting for a chicken to look like she's been plucked?