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

[Gifa]

In addition to Leghorn feathers... Wyandotte feathers... and white feathers from one or both of my white and gold EEs are becoming a regular appearance... and I only got 24 eggs last week... down from the 34 eggs per week I had been getting all summer... 42 eggs in a week was their spring peak.

Zoe's got pin feathers all over her, and is starting to look noticeably thin on feathers, especially her underside... tail feathers and flight feathers are now on their way out... but it looks like she's setting up to dump the majority of her feathers at once. She should be at her worst (appearance wise) in the next week or two... I will have my camera ready.

 

[plm6846]

Probably the same problem we had with a backyard chicken person. She had way too many chickens in a small space and none of them had tail feathers, and most of them were missing lots of body feathers too. We, being newbies, went ahead and bought 3 of them, found them to be very nasty hens! They all picked on one of the hens to almost bare naked ness, so we got rid of the two nastiest ones, kept the docile one. Of course she is finally getting feathers, but does not lay...so we call her Fatty Fluffy who now does not have a big pick butt! Well our hand raised chickens are way more friendly than those wydonnettes for sure! We can pick them up, they follow us around etc. So kudos to those of you that chooose to go the longer route and hand raise your hens! We are still learning, but are much more educated than we were for sure. Thank you Backyard Chickens!!

 

[dbaeunn]

That is great to know.. I would've thought something tried to get it.

Newbie Question;

Our one Red was I guess you could say "bullied" before we got her.. She doesn't have the whole attacked by a porcupine look, she's actually bald on her back. Will she sprout new feathers?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yes, but you will have to put blu kote or no pick on it so they can grow back in.

 

[dbaeunn]

That's great to know.. never wlda thought of blue koat for chickens.

 

[jdoane]

Wow those pics are helpful!

Wondering if you could map out a little what the expected molting times would be. (ie 13 weeks - mini molt) etc.

Also wondering if people have tried the Nutrena feed that is called something like feather fixer during molt and has that helped at all?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Wow those pics are helpful!

Wondering if you could map out a little what the expected molting times would be. (ie 13 weeks - mini molt) etc.

Also wondering if people have tried the Nutrena feed that is called something like feather fixer during molt and has that helped at all?

I have not tried feather fixer. I do mix in Purina Game Bird Starter (30% protein) with my Flockraiser (20% protein). I always have younger birds as well, so not everyone is molting in my coop - so I mix to even out the protein for the little ones.

As for molting timeline, that is a bit more difficult as it depends on when they hatch, and each chicken molts a bit differently. Generally around 13 weeks, you will have a juvenile molt. You will see feathers around, but should not see bare spots. They are replacing their baby feathers with adult feathers.

A full adult molt usually happens around 18 months, which would be the hens 2nd fall. (assuming a spring hatch). Most pullets will lay through their first winter, then molt the following fall. I have had 9 month old pullets (hatched in January) go through minor molts, but enough for them to stop laying - so again, it depends. A chick hatched in the fall would likely molt the next fall at 12 months of age.

The molting process is triggered by the shorter daylight hours, not temperature.

 

[jdoane]

Thanks Happy Chooks!

So mine were hatched at the beginning of August. SO I shouldn't expect a regular molt until fall of 2014 then right?

What is optimal Protein level for a hen in molt if you want to help shorten it up for her and possibly continuing getting eggs? If all my hens are the same age and expect to molt around the same time would it be ok to use the Game Bird Starter for the whole flock at that time?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks Happy Chooks!

So mine were hatched at the beginning of August. SO I shouldn't expect a regular molt until fall of 2014 then right?

What is optimal Protein level for a hen in molt if you want to help shorten it up for her and possibly continuing getting eggs? If all my hens are the same age and expect to molt around the same time would it be ok to use the Game Bird Starter for the whole flock at that time?

Correct, they will molt fall 2014.

That would be fine on feed. Another option is you could mix the feed and supplement with high protein treats. Mealworms are extremely high in protein, I usually get some in the fall. (dried ones because the live ones give me the heebie jeebies) This year, I also purchased some Calf Manna, and I throw that out as a treat. They love it. If you have a source for raw milk, that is good protein too.

The high protein is to help them grow in feathers. Feathers are mainly protein, so it takes every ounce of their body stores to regrow feathers. Hens molting can lose quite a bit of weight as well. So the molting process isn't just the feather replacement. Once they get all their feathers back in, then they have to get their body weight back up to a safe level before they can begin laying eggs again. The increased protein helps get them through all of this.

 

[Gifa]

Hens molting can lose quite a bit of weight as well. So the molting process isn't just the feather replacement. Once they get all their feathers back in, then they have to get their body weight back up to a safe level before they can begin laying eggs again. The increased protein helps get them through all of this.

Zoe is still in the middle of her molt. She's dropped enough of her old feathers that tiny, delicate pin feathers are becoming obvious all over her head, her entire underbelly is a pin party, and her... uh... drumsticks... uh...

She has started dumping flight feathers and tail feathers in the last two days. Inara has been shaking feathers off everywhere too in the last three days.

Zoe had stopped laying eggs on the 19th of last month... but she started laying again three days ago. Her first one was only 41 grams, yesterday's was 52 grams, and todays was 58. Inara still lays, but only once every two or three days now...

That addition of game bird crumble well in advance of this fall molt period has really really helped out here... I still don't expect my girls to lay at all or reliably for a while yet, but the fact that my leghorn popped out 3 eggs in 3 days in the middle of her molt makes me feel like I'm doing everything right... I think I will probably always start providing game crumble at the beginning of August to prepare them for their molt from now on.