Early/late molt??

[WhoDatChick]

Hi yall! I have 8 chickens... my EE will be 1 year on March 6th.. and she has stopped laying about three weeks ago.. all the other gals are still laying well and they are all the same age as her.
Well, I decided today to check her over and I noticed she looks very scraggly with missing feathers (there are a good bit in the coop too)... what I’m wondering is.. is it possible she is having an early for her age molt or a late for the season molt?? Or what else could be going on....
@HuffleClaw @rjohns39 @mixedUPturk

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

She's probably molting. It could be a partial or a full molt. If tail and wing feathers get replaced it's a full molt. Otherwise partial molts are generally around the head and neck.

 

[WhoDatChick]

She's probably molting. It could be a partial or a full molt. If tail and wing feathers get replaced it's a full molt. Otherwise partial molts are generally around the head and neck.

I thought that they didn’t molt until their second fall??

 

[DobieLover]

My flock won't be a year old until April 29. Three of my girls are in a partial molt including my EE.
Their full molt generally happens in their second fall/winter.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Oh, and she seems to be acting totally normal otherwise...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I thought that they didn’t molt until their second fall??

Many will go through a partial molt in early spring. So it's possible that's all it is. You will have to wait and see.

Do your birds get extra lighting or heat?

I have stopped making absolutes about chickens. I currently have one that molted fully in October, than decided to do it again a few weeks ago. They sometimes just like to drive you bananas I swear.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Many will go through a partial molt in early spring. So it's possible that's all it is. You will have to wait and see.

Do your birds get extra lighting or heat?

I have stopped making absolutes about chickens. I currently have one that molted fully in October, than decided to do it again a few weeks ago. They sometimes just like to drive you bananas I swear.

Haha! Well, that makes sense.. and no extra light or heat.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Oh, and thank you!

 

[WhoDatChick]

Oh, and thank you!

This was for you.. @oldhenlikesdogs

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

This was for you.. @oldhenlikesdogs

Your welcome.