How does a chicken molt?

[Qi Chicken]

Which feathers do they typically loose and in what order?


I have a half bald chicken, and it is COLD out (like -25 at night cold). She is a 10 month old buff orp. She has lost all the feathers around her neck like a collar and the rest of her body is all rumpled with loose feathers sticking out here and there. her butt looks ok but she is noticably smaller looking than her twin. She is the one that was broody for almost 4 months. She finally stopped that and started this. You can see new feathers coming in around her neck. Some of the other hens have lost some feathers on their heads and have new pin feathers coming in there. The others are not picking on her as far as I can tell.

Most of the pictures I see of molting chickens have bare bottoms or backs. Ours doesn't look like that. Her behavior is fine. Thanks for the help.

 

[wordgirl]

Quote:
It wouldn't explain the feathers on her underside or rump, but do you have a rooster? He could be pulling the feathers from the necks while he's performing his manly job. I have read something about a partial molt that is related to the neck feathers falling out.... Not exactly sure, though. I wouldn't think a 10-month-old hen would be molting...normally, that is.... Hope someone more experienced chimes in.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I usually see mine first in the head/neck and the tail feathers. My light brahma got the buzzard head for about a month before she really started losing feathers. Some of my young girls just lost tail feathers. So there's a wide range of degree of molting.

If it helps, here's a picture of my buttercup hen in full molt. ETA: her head and neck feathers had started to grow back in when she lost the rest of her feathers.