Feathers in the coop

[glenny]

Hello,
Is it normal to see a few feathers scattered around the coop floor? All my girls seem fine, no obvious bald spots. They are only 8 weeks old so I doubt they are molting.
Do you think one of them is bullying the other? Need I be concerned?

 

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

Hello, glenny. Unless you are seeing a large amount of feathers in your coop or run, and notice feather plucking or bald spots on your chickens, I don't think you have anything to worry about. I believe a small amount of feather loss is normal, as birds continuously lose feathers and grow new ones. Watch for bald or red areas, which can be signs of feather plucking or lice or mites. Here is an interesting article on feather loss that I keep bookmarked just in case I see problems in my girls. Hope this helps!

 

[serenityNH]

My chickens are 11 weeks old and the bottom of my coop has some feathers scattered around. I wouldn't worry about a handful of feathers, seems pretty normal

 

[Ridgerunner]

Perfectly normal. What you are seeing is a juvenile molt. Chicks molt twice before they become adults. They outgrow their feathers and have to replace them. With mine, the only way I can tell they are molting is when I start to see feathers all over the place. The chicks don't look all that ragged when they go through their juvenile molts.

 

[glenny]

Thank you for the feedback! I instinctively felt that things were okay but didn't want to overlook signs of a problem brewing!