Feathers all over the run...ideas anyone?

[wichix411]

I have 8 12ish week old pullets. Right now they are fed Purina Flockraiser and occasional scratch and garden greens as treats. Lately there seems to be a lot of feathers laying around in the run...I've raised them as day old chicks and they've never been by other birds, and I've checked them for mites..none of them. They have a good diet. I know that they can't possibly molting at 12 weeks already, and there isn't any feather picking. Is it just a growing bigger type of a thing?

Any ideas would be great. Thanks in advance!

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Probably just loosing some juveline feathers. No bare spots on them are there?

 

[wichix411]

No bare spots. all look extremely healthy and seem to be getting bigger everyday.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Mine seem to shed feathers. I find them on the ground, in the coop, in the nest boxes, etc.

 

[rachiegirl]

I think they are just getting rid of their juvenile feathers, mine are doing it too. Feathers everywhere! As long as they seem healthy and happy I wouldn't worry too much. Good Luck!

 

[PatS]

Mine are too. They're 8 and 1/2 weeks. It has been HOT here. (Over 100 for 3 weeks.) I thought maybe that had something to do with it. They seem fine in every other way.

 

[wichix411]

everybody says its been such a hot year. I don't know about you guys, but Wisconsin seems to be colder then usual this summer!
anyways new2- i find them everywhere too, i just notice them more in the run.

and thanks everybody! i didn't know if it was somethin i should worry about.

 

[MIKE555444]

I have 18 week old pullets but I see lots of feathers around the chicken house and run area also.

 

[Ridgerunner]

As you can see by this link, it is normal for a chicken to lose its feathers three times before it is sexually mature. It is perfectly normal for feathers to be all over the place if you have young chickens.

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