For the new folks that haven't experienced a molt yet.

[Happy Chooks]

My BR is now dropping feathers like crazy - so pictures of her are coming soon. Sadly, my buttercup that started this thread, has passed away at 4 1/2 years old.

 

[Gifa]

Awww... boo. I am sorry for your loss.

 

[Gifa]

OMG... I am about to have some TERRIBLE looking chickens... Feathers... everywhere...

Zoe is still molting, but she's been laying fairly regularly for the last 2 weeks... she didn't do what Inara and Kaylee are doing now. Those two are dumping them left and right. I looked Kaylee over really good this evening... bare patches on her back and wings... and just the wee hint of pins... so...if she drops all her feathers, it will be a while before she gets them back... Inara's pin feathers are further along than Kaylees are, but her neck feathers are about half gone.



Question though... I've caught Inara and Zoe occasionally snatching up a loose feather here and there and swallowing it... Inara seems to like the taste of her own feathers... Zoe was picking them up off the run and eating them. I've been trying to collect them, but in the last two days, I just can't keep up. Is this something I need to be more diligent about, are there any problems that might... crop up... so to speak because of this and is it "habit forming"?

 

[LBejaran]

OMG... I am about to have some TERRIBLE looking chickens... Feathers... everywhere...

Zoe is still molting, but she's been laying fairly regularly for the last 2 weeks... she didn't do what Inara and Kaylee are doing now. Those two are dumping them left and right. I looked Kaylee over really good this evening... bare patches on her back and wings... and just the wee hint of pins... so...if she drops all her feathers, it will be a while before she gets them back... Inara's pin feathers are further along than Kaylees are, but her neck feathers are about half gone.



Question though... I've caught Inara and Zoe occasionally snatching up a loose feather here and there and swallowing it... Inara seems to like the taste of her own feathers... Zoe was picking them up off the run and eating them. I've been trying to collect them, but in the last two days, I just can't keep up. Is this something I need to be more diligent about, are there any problems that might... crop up... so to speak because of this and is it "habit forming"?

From what I've experienced with molting birds, it's okay if they are eating up their feathers. The protein that makes up the feathers is just being reintroduced into their systems, which will eventually be used to make more feathers. I'd worry more if they were eating them off one another. That can lead to bad pecking habits. So long as they stick to picking up a feather from the ground, I don't think it'll turn out badly.

Even when our chickens aren't molting, some of our chickens eat feathers off the ground. I've always assumed it's because they are needing the protein. Then I up the protein in their diet and they generally don't continue eating the feathers.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:

Even when our chickens aren't molting, some of our chickens eat feathers off the ground. I've always assumed it's because they are needing the protein. Then I up the protein in their diet and they generally don't continue eating the feathers.

Agreed.

Increase their protein if you can. Mealworms are great protein and easy to toss out as treats.

 

[beach hens]

Here is what they look like today... Zoe's my name Zoe, my brown Leghorn. Hasn't laid in a week, am starting to notice that the area under her wattles is getting a little nekkid... and though you can't see it in this photo, she has a bare butt.... Actually... the area around her vent is bare. I noticed only a few body feathers of hers lying around this morning when I went out to clean the coop... other than that... She's still a good lookin' bird. My SLWs Nandi on the left, and Inara on the right... I tell them apart by their combs, Inara has a weirdish little pea comb. Still laying... though, prone to a few extra days off here and there. Nandi is outpacing Inara, but then again, she didn't start Laying until the Middle of February. And now for my EEs. From left to right; Kaylee, Yolanda, Saffron... and Bridget... oooohhhh Bridget. Bridget has looked like this all summer... she still lays about 3 65-70 gram eggs per week though. Everyone else is laying 4-5 times a week. The beards have been gone since March... and I've noticed a bunch of Saffron's tail covert feathers laying around today though. As you can see... their run, in which I give them all the grass clippings, is nearly spotless... nary a poop to be seen and there aren't an abundance of feathers laying around. (Anyone wondering why I have a dog toy hanging over the waterer... it keeps the chickens off of the handle where they used to perch and poop right into the water.)

 

[beach hens]

But that looks like it is anying

 

[Gifa]

Here's an update on these two... who seem to be the most obvious about their molting...

Inara's got no butt. All her tail feathers are gone and number of her flight feathers are out as well. It's more obvious when she's up and walking around, but she's already swapped out about half of her neck and back feathers.



Kaylee is down to one tail feather... and a bunch of her wing coverts are about half in now. I am glad to see the return of her beard... however long that will last...





These are the only two that are not laying at all right now. My other 5 are laying about 2 or 3 a week each... So, not their usual 5-6 a week.

Zoe, my leghorn has a big bare patch on her back, and she's been picked on a little bit there... but it's nothing that you can really see without lifting her other feathers up.








All in all, it's not as bad as I expected. I think feeding them a mix of layer and game feed has really helped them get through this.

 

[centrarchid]

All is progressing well. Hens not stressed seldom have skin exposed even during heaviest part of molt. For my birds this year, stress has been low owing to moderate temperatures and exceptional forage quality.

 

[Gifa]

All is progressing well.  Hens not stressed seldom have skin exposed even during heaviest part of molt.  For my birds this year, stress has been low owing to moderate temperatures and exceptional forage quality.

Aww... That makes me feel bad about the "worst molting chicken" photo contest thread... Basically giving me the impression that anyone posting photos of half naked chickens are posting photos of poorly cared for chickens...