HELP !!! Is Muffin sick or just molting?

[cookiesdaddy]

Muffin is only 9-10 months old Brown Leghorn, has been laying for 3+ months. Last few days I noticed lost of feather around the neck. The 3 other hens are fine. Is this a disease, or is she just molting? What do I need to do?

 

[speckledhen]

Molting! Always check for parasites, but that's a typical molt. Look at the neck on the SLWyandotte in this pic-she now has all her feathers back:

 

[okiechick57]

yuppers........I agree.......molting...isnt to pretty is it....... mine just went throught their first molt...........turned uggie real fast..

 

[SpottedCrow]

Moulting!
The porcupine quills looking thingees are the new feathers coming in.

 

[JackieK318]

Don't they look horrific sometimes though? My poor Australorps looked so bare and pathetic, then their feathers came back in. They looked so gorgeous! Just hold on and your Leghorn will look great in her new, shiny feathers.

 

[cookiesdaddy]

Thank you all for reassuring. The next question is ... why molting so early? I thought the first molting wouldn't come until 1.5 - 2 years? Does this mean egg production will start to slow down? She's only 9 months old. THANKS!

 

[newchickmom]

Looks like molting to me. My Blue Crown conure looks just like that right now, and boy is she cranky! LOL

 

[speckledhen]

I, too, was surprised by my nine and ten month old girls molting like that. My original flock did not do that at all at that age. This year, all bets are off. Everything is wacko if you ask me.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Chickens moult 3 times in their first year, then usually once a year after that.