do roosters loose there hackles and saddles during there molt?

[sourland]

Do the hackles, saddles, and tails on the 'long tail' breeds grow continually? Does that mean that they are in a constant state of blood or pin feathers? I'm not sure how the continual growing mechanism works - have no experience with those breeds.

 

[galanie]

Yes, the long tailed ones grow continually. I don't know exactly how that works either, whether they always have a bit of blood feather or what, but you'd think they would. Or maybe there's only a "blood feather" when it would normally have fallen out and the new one grown in. It's sort of a genetic oddity though. All the other breeds replace all their feathers once a year, most just don't do it all at once. And whatever feathers you pull out or fall out will grow right back in.