First Molt? when and how do you know?

[maizey]

My girls are 12 weeks and I am noticing a sprinkling of feathers in the run and some under their roost in the coop. They don't have any bald spots and seem happy so could this be a first molt or will that be more spectacular with naked chickens running all over the back yard? Do they have to molt before they start laying? Thanks

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

They actually go through a couple of molts before they get their grown up feathers. That all happens before they hit the year mark. After that they should molt once a year. You can tell because it looks like a feather pillow has exploded.

Some of my girls do a really obvious molt and do run around nekkid for a while. Others I never know until I suddenly realize that they look cleaner.

Sooooo... yes. Your babies are likely molting and they will molt before they start laying.

 

[PepsNick]

Yep. As CGITC said, they go through many "mini molts" before their full feathering has come in (around 16 weeks). From one year on they should molt once a year. But they may go through some un-expected molts, though those are nothing to worry about.

 

[maizey]

Good! Maybe ill get an egg for Valentines day!

Thanks guys!

 

[feathersnuggles]

Juvenile molts are different from molts that happen *after* egg-laying begins. Because their bodies are rapidly growing, chicks have to grow into several sets of feathers before getting their adult plummage. Once they start laying, some will do a mini-molt about 7-9 months of age, where a substantial area of feathers drop at once. One of my flock had a mini-molt last year, at 7 months old, and she stopped laying for a couple months. Mini-molts aren't usually as drastic as the other adult molt, the hard molt. That one happens around 12-18 months old. Although, I have two 20 month old hens who haven't had an adult molt yet.