How long before wing feathers grow back???

[MTtroutwithwings]

I posted a topic earlier about adopting my next door neighbor's 4 last chickens and now here is my next issue....POOR BABIES!!!! He clipped they're wing feathers!

They're small, skinny, scared to death, they're combs & wattles are all frostbit and they can't lift off the ground enough to get into a nesting box! We now have 2 more RIR's, 1 blk Australorp, and a mystery chicken (I'll get a pic later and submit it to BYC to determine). She maybe either an araucana or a blue lace red wyandotte. She extremely sweet once she calmed down. So back to the feathers, how long to grow back?

 

[bigzio]

Feathers won't be replaced until they molt.
That was nice of you to rescue the peeps.

bigzio

 

[MTtroutwithwings]

Thanks bigzio, I knew it was going to be part of the molting process, I'm just not real clear how often they molt per year. I'll assume that they won't molt until spring? My original flock are 7 mos. old now and the adopted group are about 9-10 mos. old. I still feel very new at this sometimes.

It's been amazing just in the past 24 hrs to watch their behavior after spending the previous life in a dark, cold and unprotected environment to a well fed, heated, deep litter bedding, & very protected coop with lots of cuddling already! They follow me around like lost puppies, it cute & heart warming at the same time!

 

[bigzio]

Glad to hear that the recovery is going well. It has to make you feel good inside to be able to rescue them.
Most will molt late summer or early fall when the daylight hours become shorter, providing them with new plumage for the upcoming winter. Good luck with the new additions.....

bigzio

 

[tx_dane_mom]

Can't a molt be forced artificially, if it's something you are *wanting* to do? I'm not too sure why it's a big deal that their wings are clipped (we clip our ducks/guieas, young chicks, but not chickens) but I think I've read about shortening the day light for them will bring on a moult. If it's something you're interested in (once they are healthy & all) read up about it. I think it was actually one of the poultry mags I saw it in, but there's surely something on here too.
Kristi