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

[katsdar]

Oh good so I won't worry so much good to know they do look after each other.

 

[buckeyehens]

They say pictures are worth a thousand words, so I thought I'd share my picture for all those new to chicken raising on what it looks like when a chicken molts.


Now keep in mind, this hen is going through a very hard molt. (she didn't molt this badly last year)  She's a 2 1/2 year old Sicilian Buttercup.  You can also see that her comb is shriveled up.

Good pix to show people who haven't seen a molt, as they would probablly totally freak!/img/smilies/ep.gif


I got a few that are almost as bad!


At least they are growing back before it gets too cold

you're right... we have a barred rock that looks very much like this, and we have been pretty freaked out! Will the feathers come back in before it gets too cold?

 

[Happy Chooks]

They come in pretty quickly.

 

[Happy Chooks]

For those of you that want to see the weight difference in some hens that go through hard molts, here are some pictures.

Cream Legbar right before she started laying:



Same hen today, about 1/2 way through her molt. She is fluffed up because it is cold, but she has lost a lot of weight, especially in the breast area.


Huge difference in my Barred rock. Here she was raising her babies earlier this year.


And this is her now, mid molt.

 

[Sash Ranch]

Hey all,
I've read through numerous threads (including this one) and I think I have a couple girls going through a molt. They are 9 months old. I have 7 hens and one rooster. They haven't had any added stress (like predators, food change, etc), but we have had some cold nights and the days are getting shorter. I added a light on a timer to their coop a week ago to help improve egg production this winter. They also have a heater in their coop. They have a large coop (4 ft by 8 ft) and a large run (20 ft by 40 ft) they have free reign in during the day.

I've looked at their vents and feet, trying to find any sign of mites or lice and everything there looks fine. I don't think this is rooster damage as it is on their necks. I am guessing it is molt, but it may be pecking from the other chickens. These two are definitely the lowest in the pecking order. The white one doesn't even want to sleep with the rest of them....she's always on the opposite side of the coop when I go to lock them up for the night..poor girl.

So....what do you think? Is this molting or pecking or something else?





Thanks all!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Sash Ranch - the first one is cockerel damage. That is where they hold on to the pullets to keep their balance for mating. The 2nd one could be a molt. Any feather loss anywhere else on her? Like missing tail feathers?

 

[Sash Ranch]

Thank you for replying!!!
So, for the cockerel damage, is there anything I can do? I have seen the "saddles" for hens, but since it's on the back of her head, is there anything I can do for her?

The second one (the white one) looks "ragged" for lack of a better word. She has lost her long tail feathers, but you can't see any skin, she just looks less "full". Her behavior has changed as well. She seems disconnected from the bunch. At night, she has been sleeping on the opposite side of the coop from the others. This morning, I discovered that she slept outside the coop!

I went to lock them up last night, it was dark, and I assumed all the chickens were inside the coop. This morning, when I went to open their coop, she was out in the yard by herself! I guess I'll have to start counting chickens every night!

I don't know about her laying habits. We have 4 white egg layers and we hardly ever get 4 white eggs in a day. Once or twice in the summer, but not often. I don't really have the option of sitting and watching to see who is laying every day, so it's hard for me to know.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[aart]

Hey all,
I've read through numerous threads (including this one) and I think I have a couple girls going through a molt. They are 9 months old. I have 7 hens and one rooster. They haven't had any added stress (like predators, food change, etc), but we have had some cold nights and the days are getting shorter. I added a light on a timer to their coop a week ago to help improve egg production this winter. They also have a heater in their coop. They have a large coop (4 ft by 8 ft) and a large run (20 ft by 40 ft) they have free reign in during the day.

I've looked at their vents and feet, trying to find any sign of mites or lice and everything there looks fine. I don't think this is rooster damage as it is on their necks. I am guessing it is molt, but it may be pecking from the other chickens. These two are definitely the lowest in the pecking order. The white one doesn't even want to sleep with the rest of them....she's always on the opposite side of the coop when I go to lock them up for the night..poor girl.

So....what do you think? Is this molting or pecking or something else?





Thanks all!

On this one you can see the new feathers are growing in, the sheathing is starting to come off of the tips of the new feathers.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thank you for replying!!!
So, for the cockerel damage, is there anything I can do? I have seen the "saddles" for hens, but since it's on the back of her head, is there anything I can do for her?

The second one (the white one) looks "ragged" for lack of a better word. She has lost her long tail feathers, but you can't see any skin, she just looks less "full". Her behavior has changed as well. She seems disconnected from the bunch. At night, she has been sleeping on the opposite side of the coop from the others. This morning, I discovered that she slept outside the coop!

I went to lock them up last night, it was dark, and I assumed all the chickens were inside the coop. This morning, when I went to open their coop, she was out in the yard by herself! I guess I'll have to start counting chickens every night!

I don't know about her laying habits. We have 4 white egg layers and we hardly ever get 4 white eggs in a day. Once or twice in the summer, but not often. I don't really have the option of sitting and watching to see who is laying every day, so it's hard for me to know.

Thanks again for your help!

No, there's not really much you can do for the back of the head, short of removing the cockerel entirely. Even in a flock with a lot of hens, they can have a "favorite".

The second one, everything you are describing - looking ragged, missing tail feathers and wanting to be left alone - that is molting.

 

[Sash Ranch]

Oh, good! I was so worried about her. The one getting rooster damage is my favorite, too, so I understand his adoration!

Thanks again for the responses. Really great to have this resource!