Color change after molt??

[leighks]

My black australorp is going through her first adult molt at 19 months of age. Prior to the molt she was solid black. Now as her new feathers are starting to grow in I can see some of them have white on the edges. It’s not the sheath on the feather, but the new feather itself after it’s fully opened. This happened mostly on the top of her head and a few feathers on her back and sides. She’s still mostly black, but do feathers typically change color with a molt??

 

[Shadowfire]

Whitish feathers after a molt usually indicates a nutritional deficiency. What do you feed them, do they free-range, and are you giving any supplements for their molting period?

 

[leighks]

Wow really?!? They eat Dumor organic layer crumbles and during the molt they also have access to Purina feather fixer pellets and Dumor organic starter/ grower crumbles.

There is also oyster shells, grit, and crushed egg shells in side bowls. They get some fruit/ veg/scratch or BOSS and mealworms daily as a snack- just a little. They have yard access in a fenced in area for a bit each day but too many predators to free range when we are at work.

I can’t imagine they are missing much from their diet, but if there’s something important I’m not giving them please let me know!!

 

[Shadowfire]

It sounds like they have a really good diet. Are all the chickens eating well and which ones are greying?

 

[leighks]

Yes they are all eating well. Only the australorp has some color change with her molt. Maybe she has some mixed breeding and it’s coming out in this first adult molt. It’s not a problem but I just didn’t realize color change could happen at this young age. Weird!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sometimes I see some odd colored feathers during the molt, than they disappear. M any times my buff Orpington rooster will get white feathers on their tail for a bit. I guess wait and see if they hang around long term or not.

 

[aart]

It's just some recessive genes coming out...not unusual and nothing to worry about.
Most serious breeders wait until after first adult molt to see what's really there before deciding which birds to use as breeding stock.

 

[leighks]

Good to know, thanks!

 

[adstowe]

It sounds like you are doing a great job feeding your girls. I wouldn't suspect any deficiencies. Unrelated: Just out of curiosity, why feed organic and feather fixer? I don't do the organic thing, but doesn't it defeat the purpose (and there for the added cost) of organic if you are going to also give them non-organic?

 

[leighks]

It sounds like you are doing a great job feeding your girls. I wouldn't suspect any deficiencies. Unrelated: Just out of curiosity, why feed organic and feather fixer? I don't do the organic thing, but doesn't it defeat the purpose (and there for the added cost) of organic if you are going to also give them non-organic?

The Dumor organic is their regular diet, but many people on here have recommended Feather Fixer during molt (on other posts) so that’s why I added it temporarily. Although my rooster loves it like it’s the best thing he ever ate!! If there’s an organic version of Feather Fixer I haven’t found it, but I would buy it.