Do 10 week-old chicks moult?

[Carrie Lynn]

I notice small feathers in the bedding of my 10 week-old chicks.
I'm wondering if this a light moult or is the bossy bantam leghorn going after them?
I've seen her do this as she has been establishing the pecking order.

 

[Domestic_goddess]

They wouldn't mold that early, most likely it's the pecking!

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
my thoughts exactly, find out who the offenders are and isolate them.

 

[SassyKat6181]

My chicks are 10 weeks and I've been finding handfuls of feathers in the coop the last week or so. I posted this on another forum and lots of people said the chicks go through a few stages where they swap out adult plumage.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

Quote:
I don't know about your chicken situation but I also have 11 week old chicks and I don't have them with any other chickens and they always have small feathers under the roost. I'm sure that it isn't a pecking situation since the feathers are of all different colors and they are all of the same age. I've not noticed any "pecking" going on. I just decided that they are pulling them out when they preen themselves. They are all fully feathered and don't seem to be missing any feathers.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
That would be my guess too. Unless you're seeing a lot of aggresion or actual bare spots I think they're just "swapping feathers."

 

[Carrie Lynn]

Yes, I think they are swapping out also.
Thanks for your posts.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
That would be my guess too. Unless you're seeing a lot of aggresion or actual bare spots I think they're just "swapping feathers."

Yep