First time Molter

[Jimmy W]

Well it was bound to happen since the hens were hatched last March. I went out today and the most feisty gal I have, the "Purple Nerple" was acting weird. She was just sitting in her dust bath and when I approached her she was very skittish and shy, absolute opposite of how she is. I noticed she had feathers missing from the back of her neck, she is a Barred Rock so it made her look skinnier. I got concerned.

In I ran to the chicken health book, then the internet to see what this means, I gathered the info and went out and caught her, looking for Parasites and mites. Nothing, but the feather stubs looked like little roman candles with little feathers coming out of the top of the stubs. I looked around the heine, under wings, back and neck, no sign of mites or anything. I finally figured out she has to be molting.

Now comes the question I have, its mid Feb here in Central PA. Temps at night are still in the 20 degree area, and I have an electric brooder pad on the wall in the 5 x 7 coop going all day and night. With the amount of feathers she is dropping, I figure a week or so she is gonna be naked. (The down feathers were falling out while i was examining her for lice/mites)

Should I do anything special with her as I am concerned about her maintaining body temp? Should I be concerned?


Thanks for any advice in advance.

 

[FrostRanger]

Nope, and while some birds do indeed go through hard molts, she could also go through a soft molt. Diet can affect how hard or soft her molt is but genetics also plays a huge role. The only thing I'd change would be to switch her to a 20% protein all flock feed with oyster shell on the side if you don't already feed her like that

 

[tlcmurphy]

It happens to all chickens, some worse than others, and almost always when it’s cold.
Your description of the new pin feathers (feather stubs) is spot on, they do look like Roman candles! She’ll scratch at the white sheaths and the new feathers will emerge.

 

[Jimmy W]

Thanks FR, I have the whole flock on Kalmbach's Feather Feed, its 20%. (I did this because one of them got pecked around the rear end and was almost bare bottomed, used peck no more and the feed, worked well except I had purple fingers for a bit)

 

[Jimmy W]

It happens to all chickens, some worse than others, and almost always when it’s cold.
Your description of the new pin feathers (feather stubs) is spot on, they do look like Roman candles! She’ll scratch at the white sheaths and the new feathers will emerge.

Nice, never knew this and I am glad its not anything else.

 

[tlcmurphy]

It’s terrifying to walk out to a “pillow fight in the coop” that first time. I don’t think many of us are prepared for that sight!