Feathers everywhere!

[mamakelly]

I'm getting tired of feathers all over my backyard. I have 5 chickens in a 50 sq foot run and a 30 sq foot coop. They've been on layer crumbles for several months now. I sprinkle DE in the run and coop every week or so. They get kitchen vegi and fruit scraps every day. They don't fight, and seem to get along fine. In fact, i've never seen them pulling feathers out, I just find them everywhere. They don't look like they are molting, and I don't see bald patches or anything like that. Any suggestions?

 

[Happy Chooks]

If it looks like a pillow exploded, they are molting. You'd be surprised how many feathers a chicken can lose and still look "normal". How old are they?

My light brahma is just starting her molt. She's got the buzzard head look, all the feathers around her face and neck have fallen out.

 

[Brindlebtch]

I have at least 5 hens molting right now. 2 may be partial molts but 3 are definitely hard molts. Those girls look mauled and bald. Feathers everywhere!

 

[mamakelly]

They are 20 weeks. But this has been happening for at least 2 months. I thought they molted faster than that.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Alrighty then, they are just going through a juvenille molt which is why you don't see bare spots. This is normal and it happens as they get their adult feathers in. Nothing to worry about.

 

[mamakelly]

Ahh okay. that makes more sense!

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Quote:
A pillow must have exploded in my chicken run this week. Wow what a fluffy place it is now.