Feathers EVERYWHERE!

[RobinS1217]

Hi there! I have 14 juveniles and 2 cockerels in a 8x4x4 temporary pen while we finish their run. I move it every day so they’re on fresh grass. This past week I’ve noticed so many feathers on the ground when I go to move them! I noticing them pruning frequently but when I check their skin I see no evidence of lice or mites. No bald spots or broken feathers just the dropped ones! Is it abnormal for them to be dropping feathers? They’re 12 weeks old now.

Pictured: coop with shade and water protection moved daily, pile of leaves mixed with feathers, leftover feathers after raking

 

[nuthatched]

Juvenile molt. :]

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Is it abnormal for them to be dropping feathers? They’re 12 weeks old now.

Hi, hope you are enjoying BYC!

Mini molts on the way to maturity are very common.. The juvenile feathers are replaced a few times throughout the process..

Most birds will be starting to come into their adult plumage around 10-12 weeks.. is often when gender specific saddle feathers can START to be seen clearly.. usually well by in by 16 weeks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Nothing to worry about. as others said, a juvenile molt. They outgrow their feathers and need to replace them. Think how silly adult chickens would look if they had to wear the same feathers they had at 4 weeks old.

 

[Tami2]

Hi there! I have 14 juveniles and 2 cockerels in a 8x4x4 temporary pen while we finish their run. I move it every day so they’re on fresh grass. This past week I’ve noticed so many feathers on the ground when I go to move them! I noticing them pruning frequently but when I check their skin I see no evidence of lice or mites. No bald spots or broken feathers just the dropped ones! Is it abnormal for them to be dropping feathers? They’re 12 weeks old now.

Pictured: coop with shade and water protection moved daily, pile of leaves mixed with feathers, leftover feathers after raking

Yes, me too. So many feathers, I was wondering if they've been fighting.
I have a parrot who molts in the early spring. So, I was thinking I guess chickens are on a different molt cycle. ? It's crazy how many feather are in their coop & run. Also, seems a bit odd to me that they'd be molting as the temps are getting colder. You'd thing they'd start growing in more feathers for insulation.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

You'd thing they'd start growing in more feathers for insulation.

They only replace old feathers with fresh ones.. they don't have more feather follicle sites to grow in "more". Chickens are not double coated like some dog breeds or other animals that lose/grow winter coats.

Its *usually* age related.. coupled with genetics, nutrition, and importantly once mature daylight hours.. which also dictates laying hormone.. in other words it's really a hormonal thing.. and chickens are WAY off their "natural" cycle. Some farmers delay or force molt their flock to bring everyone to the same timing by targeting nutrition and/or using artificial lighting.

The new feather growth that chickens do get is still more insulating than old feathers would be which may have lots of wear and tear (loose barbules), parasites, etc.

The best art being.. with chicken outnumbering people in the world.. they don't read all out books and articles about what they should do and when.. but they've certainly been far removed from their wild ancestors perhaps (probably) even more so than parrots.. Just for discussion purposes.. I don't pretend to actually know anything!

 

[RobinS1217]

WOW! I didn’t get any notifications and just logged in to see everyone’s response. Thank you all! I happened to get the BYC email a few does after posting and it was about molting! Had no idea they had a juvenile molt! They were right about 12w at the time but maybe it’s been slowly coming on. We’re in East TN so it’s still upper 80s. Only skgn of fall on the horizon is sun setting around 8:00 now! Anyways- thank you all! Still loosing feathers but I’m not as worried as I see new barbs coming in for new growth.