How do I know they are molting?

[Mommi3130]

A few of my chickens that are about 17ms old seem to have new feathers coming it. They are downy like and they seem to be losing feathers are they molting?

 

[Wynette]

Sounds like it! I've got several molting now, and if they are in a "hard" molt, you will most definitely see feathers everywhere - like a pillow fight! Sometimes they molt lightly and you don't see that many feathers, though.

 

[bantamsrus]

I came home yesterday to find one of my pens that had some of one year old cochins in it with feathers everywhere. At first I panicked, thinking something must have gotten in the pen but then I realized they just had decided to start molting that day!!

Also explains why they haven't been laying too well the past couple of weeks