Do Roosters Molt?

[Ma]

Do they? I have a SLW Rooster, 8 months old, sexually mature, who has lost his back feathers over the cold months. His back is not bald, there is signs of fuzzy new growth.

This is only on his back. His cape is gorgeous and beautiful tail (sickle) feathers, wings, etc. This feather loss is directly on the top of his back. Sorry, no pictures. (Technologically handicapped.

)

Everyone else is fine, except his hens who have bald backs. But that's due to his over active sex life.

Now I have chicken saddles!

 

[airmom1c05]

Yes! All chickens molt.

 

[Ma]

Is this a common age for Roos to molt? I can't find any literature on this. Everything deals with hens molting.

Anyone know?

Thanks,
Ma

 

[ozark hen]

hmmm, never crossed my mind that the roosters would molt. Good question there.

 

[bigzio]

Yep, all chickens molt. The first molt is usually alot less extreme than the second.

It makes a difference as far as when the chick was hatched.

Chicks hatched later in the summer won't molt until the next fall, however early hatched chicks will have a mild to extreme
molt the same year they were hatched.

bigzio

 

[cjsgrlsx3]

I have 2 year hens that have not molted, ever! Is this common?

 

[teach1rusl]

I've been calling our little roo "Stumpy" lately because he molted his tail off...has new feathers coming in, but they're pretty stubby right now.

cjsgrl - they probably have molted, but some birds lose just a few feathers at a time over months and months, so it's barely noticeable, while others blow out their feathers quickly.

 

[keesmom]

Quote:
I'm sure they have, just slowly enough that you didn't notice. Have they taken a break in laying in those 2 years?

 

[cjsgrlsx3]

Yes they have taken breaks! So molting was the cause? Who da thunk?