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

[Happy Chooks]

Beautiful eggs and hens!

 

[aart]

Nice egg basket!!

 

[Gifa]

Thank yas

*curtsey*

 

[schnebbles]

Gifa - gorgeous chickens make beautiful eggs!

 

[helorugger]

I finally have one hen that is molting and I am glad I saw this thread! Great information - thank you everyone who posted. I will be sure to put more suet out to help them through.

 

[PhatChicks]

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.

how did you keep the others from pecking at the new feathers? I have one Easter Egger starting to molt by the base of her back and the others have pecked her so bad that she is bleeding. I had to put the purple smelly medicine on her (I forget the name of it but the stuff stinks!) I separated her this evening after seeing how bad she was pecked and will certainly keep my eye on her.

I'm worried about the others when they start to molt and then have a bunch of bloody chickens. My 7 chicks are about 30 weeks old. They are friendly but not docile enough to pick up unless they are sleeping.

Thank you for the advice!!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

how did you keep the others from pecking at the new feathers? I have one Easter Egger starting to molt by the base of her back and the others have pecked her so bad that she is bleeding. I had to put the purple smelly medicine on her (I forget the name of it but the stuff stinks!) I separated her this evening after seeing how bad she was pecked and will certainly keep my eye on her.

I'm worried about the others when they start to molt and then have a bunch of bloody chickens. My 7 chicks are about 30 weeks old. They are friendly but not docile enough to pick up unless they are sleeping.

Thank you for the advice!!!

The purple stuff is called No Pick and it should keep the others from picking at the feather shafts. I've only had trouble with picking on one hen's tail feathers and I put the No Pick on it and had no further issues. Once they start growing back in, they don't bother them.

 

[gunnermccaw]

Right! I would have done the same. I see a lot of feathers stuck to the inside fence of the run. I thought it was because of molting. Guess not. They are all still thickly feathered. After this experience I know I would be worried if I had seen this on one of them. I read also that the new ones growing in cause soreness when they break through. I guess it is similar to humans getting new molars!

 

[BunnyLover44]

What should I do of mine molt really bad? Will the other chickens pick at her because of her feather lose?

BunnyLover44

 

[PhatChicks]

I would definitely keep an eye on them. One of mine is molting and they are pecking her a lot. I use the blue Peck-No-More (it's the blue stinky stuff) and keep it on her. Good luck!