Do chickens molt this time of year?

[HenOnAJuneBug]

One of my hens has lost all of her feathers along one side of her underside and on one leg. This happened very suddenly. Surely chickens don't molt this time of year, do they?. I'm going to have to keep her inside at night because it is going to get very cold.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If you have photos of the poor thing we will be happy to take a look
But, in a nutshell, yes they can molt this time of year. Look closely at her for signs of new growth (pin feathers) coming in.

Most chickens go through an "adult molt" around the age of 16-18months old, but they can really molt at just about anytime of the year.
We do tend to feel badly for them, but it's hard on them if they go from a warm house to a cold coop/run. Sometimes it's best to leave them be providing that they have appropriate shelter can get inside the coop away from drafts and wind, have some deep bedding to snuggle into if need be. Blocking the wind in the run can help as well.

I've had one completely naked in the dead of winter - she looked like I could just pop her right in the oven she was so bare. She hung out inside most days, but would venture out on cold sunny days and sun herself. I made sure she was eating and drinking (even went inside the coop, sat with her to give her a treat of egg (they are so good when handfed) and would give her a direct dose of poultry vitamins a couple of times a week. Seemed like she feathered in fairly quickly due to cold weather, but extra protein and vitamins help.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Thank you. So are you saying that it's better to leave her outside when it's 9-15 F rather than bring her inside those nights? I intend to put a heat lamp out there those nights.

btw, it does look like pin feathers are growing back. I'll try to get a picture.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you. So are you saying that it's better to leave her outside when it's 9-15 F rather than bring her inside those nights? I intend to put a heat lamp out there those nights.

btw, it does look like pin feathers are growing back. I'll try to get a picture.

If she has a place to have shelter that is free of drafts, I think it is better to leave her outside. Fluctuating from warm to cold can make it hard to acclimate.

Some people do put a heat lamp in the coop - personally, I'm not a fan of that either. It can be dangerous (fire), plus think about if the chickens get used to having a bit of extra heat and you should suddenly lose power, how will they fare?

 

[junebuggena]

Protein will help get those feathers grown back in as quickly as possible. How long a molt lasts, largely depends on the individual bird. Best to keep her out in the unheated coop so as to not add any more stress. It's really hard on them to go from warm to cold so suddenly.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

OK thanks. I'm giving her scrambled egg and mealworms.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Those make a fine extra protein treat in addition to her normal feed

 

[bruceha2000]

I agree with @Wyorp Rock. I had a Black Australorp that had her first adult moult at nearly 18 months of age at the end of January 2014. She wasn't "ready for the pot" bald but she was really ratty, a fair bit of skin showing. The end of January and beginning of February have temps in the negative double digits here. She was more reasonable with her second adult moult - mid October the same year.

My coop is a converted stall in a very old barn and the alley is their indoor run. I'll skip the long story as to why but I had a heat lamp secured over a 1 gallon waterer in the next stall over that winter. NONE of the chickens hung out near it, not even the BA. That is what really showed that adult chickens do NOT need supplemental heat.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

She looks very uncomfortable. Same thing I noticed when other of my hens were molting. Has that been ya'll's experience?

 

[Dawnclucks22]

I can confirm (taken today).

Every chicken molts differently. It could just be some troublesome feathers.