Dropping feathers: Molt or Normal wear and tear

[MirPanda]

I have 4 four monthish old pullets. They're often dropping tail or wing feathers in their spurts of excited flapping about. Their coop also has a few body and long feathers scattered about every morning. Should I be worried that they're slow molters? they shouldn't molt until 7 months from now anyway, right? Is dropping occasional feathers a normal thing to happen? i know the doves around here drop feathers all the time, but they most likely don't do the all at once molting our chickens do.

Any thoughts?

My girls haven't started laying yet, the oldest one is pinking up very nicely but is still so small... i'm hoping for eggs by thanksgiving, but i may be out of luck.

please send your advice. thanks
Miranda in Austin TX

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think these two sites together give a lot of information on molting. Note that feathers normally come in three times before pullets start to lay, once to replace the fluff and twice due to a juvenile molt.

Mississippi State describes molting
http://msucares.com/poultry/management/poultry_feathers.html

Kansas State feather loss
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/library/lvstk2/mf2308.pdf