How long does molting usually last?

[cluckmecoop7]

The title says my question. Three of my chickens are molting, so thats why I'm wondering.

Thanks!
- Clucky

 

[Mrs. K]

Forever!... just kidding...kind of.

Some molt hard, nearly all the feathers fall off, they look like they have been attacked, piles of feathers on the floor, they tend to grow feathers back pretty fast, and in 2-3 weeks are looking spry!

Others just get the motly look, like they are wearing rags, and old feathers, feathers stick out weird, they fall off slower, and tend to grow in slower too. These tend to grow feathers back slower too.

Others are somewhere in between.

I don't add lights, so, now I am down to buying chicken feed AND EGGS. And will be so until about the end of January. When the day length will be long enough to get ming laying again.

Mrs K

 

[ariri30]

Gosh for me it felt like they were molting for ever! More like two months and today I got three eggs! Molt is finally done.

 

[BlueBaby]

Molting seem's to vary between my different hen's. I had one that kept laying egg's through her molt, but other's that went on strike for it. When they are molting I give them extra protein to help them grow the feather's back, and cut back on how much calcium is given during that time.

 

[casportpony]

This article has some molting info:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/feather-molt-an-in-depth-look-at-molting.74666/

since you have some molting you should enter this contest:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...st-your-best-worst-chicken-molt-pics.1334957/

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Cwestlake]

My Speckled Sussex here in the picture is molting and has been for 3 weeks... Egg laying has stopped since she started molting all 4 of my hens are 8 1/2 months old, she’s the only one molting... I also would like to ask is this normal? And how long molting is.. Thank you

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I have seven hens that were hatched in mid-July of 2018. They’re going through their first adult molt (almost done) and haven’t laid a single egg in two months! They all looked moth-eaten for six or seven weeks, but no one really had any bald spots. Now their feathers are coming in and they’re getting sassy again, so I’m thinking they’ll start laying in a few more days. That said, now we are going through a pecking order re-order!

I have one pullet who hatched on 23 May of 2019 (she hasn’t laid her first egg yet) and she’s the cause of the order upset. She’s close to laying her first egg and is craaaaaaaanky! Her face turns red and she starts yelling like a teenager. In fact, she pecked my alpha on the head today! I think it shocked everyone! The alpha, Butterfly, is a Salmon Faverolle and Lily is a GLW x BLRW, so she’s a lot bigger than Butterfly. (Not that that matters to my little scrapper! She takes on all comers - and beats them down!)

In the meantime, I just sit back, watch the show, and buy Eggland’s Best for breakfast!

Lily

 

[Cwestlake]

Gosh for me it felt like they were molting for ever! More like two months and today I got three eggs! Molt is finally done.

My Speckled Sussex here is molting!

 

[Cwestlake]

Good morning all from California, I have a question on the molting how long does it last? Thank you!