Eight weeks old and feathers everywhere?

[SplendidDogFeet]

I have looked and looked in my books and online, but can't find out if this is normal. My eight week old chicks and keets are dropping what seems like a lot of feathers. Granted, there are eleven birds, so I guess if everyone just dropped one or two, it would seem like lots, anyway. Is this just the birds getting more adult feathers, or is this an issue? I don't see any plucking happening and nobody looks bald or anything. Everyone is eating and seems normal. There's a place by the door in the coop where the air sort of circulates and there was a little feather whirlwind happening today. Coop is 6x10x8

 

[Ridgerunner]

That sounds like a juvenile molt. They go through molts as they outgrow their feathers. Think how silly they would look if an adult still had the first set of feathers they grew. Their wings would be so small they could not fly and the tiny feathers could not cover them to keep them warm.

Nothing unusual in them molting now. You can expect them to molt another time as they get close to adult size.

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

That sounds like a juvenile molt. They go through molts as they outgrow their feathers. Think how silly they would look if an adult still had the first set of feathers they grew. Their wings would be so small they could not fly and the tiny feathers could not cover them to keep them warm.

Nothing unusual in them molting now. You can expect them to molt another time as they get close to adult size.

Thank you so much! I was hoping that was the case but have zero bird experience and spend all my time worrying I'm messing up.

 

[Rebechenson75]

Is 8 weeks average for juvenile molt?

 

[Rebechenson75]

Is 8 weeks average for juvenile molt?

Do I need to provide anything beside regular feed and water?

 

[Tstraub]

Do I need to provide anything beside regular feed and water?

8 weeks sounds about right in my experience but I’m sure it varies somewhat from breed to breed. Assuming they are on some type of chick starter or grower feed and grit with plenty of clean water available you shouldn’t need to change anything.

 

[Rebechenson75]

They are on starter feed and always have fresh water eith hydra-hen. I have oyster shell but haven't started it yet. They are out side and have plenty of acces to forage. Should I start the oyster shell or opt for something else?

 

[Tstraub]

They don’t need oyster shells at this age. I’m a big believer in crushed granite grit. A lot of people say that if they free range they will find what they need. These people are probably right, they will find some sort of rocks that are good enough to survive.

The studies I have read all say that granite is better. When their gizzards are full of granite they can extract more nutrients from the food that they eat. Without grit they get a smaller percentage of the usable nutrients from their feed and in turn need to eat more feed.

 

[Rebechenson75]

Thank you. This is very helpful.

 

[ShrekDawg]

They are on starter feed and always have fresh water eith hydra-hen. I have oyster shell but haven't started it yet. They are out side and have plenty of acces to forage. Should I start the oyster shell or opt for something else?

Oyster shell is for calcium for laying hens which they will need later on on the side when they get older but grit is separate and helps with digestion and grinding up their food. They need both. Although they don’t need oyster shells right now. Oyster shells dissolve and do not help digestion.