Is my Hen Molting?

[EggSighted4Life]

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Lovely EE.. and actually fairly *typical* (descriptive not derogatory)!



The other gal, maybe Marans... not marked like black copper (and not feather legged like French) but who's to say... with hatchery, it's easy for birds to not fit the standard perfectly. Heck, even for those of us who work hard to breed to the standard.. not every bird that hatches will be show or breeding quality. Another possibility I can think of.. maybe black Orpington? I don't know those standards. She looks kinda heavy bodied, but while a pic may be worth a thousand words they don't always tell the whole truth. Otherwise, thinking of straight comb, clean legged, red lobed breeds.. maybe black sex link. Will be interesting to see when she starts to lay!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Skipper81]

Remember chickens don’t moult until there are adults so if she’s younger it’s not moulting

 

[mikele86]

Lovely EE.. and actually fairly *typical* (descriptive not derogatory)!



The other gal, maybe Marans... not marked like black copper (and not feather legged like French) but who's to say... with hatchery, it's easy for birds to not fit the standard perfectly. Heck, even for those of us who work hard to breed to the standard.. not every bird that hatches will be show or breeding quality. Another possibility I can think of.. maybe black Orpington? I don't know those standards. She looks kinda heavy bodied, but while a pic may be worth a thousand words they don't always tell the whole truth. Otherwise, thinking of straight comb, clean legged, red lobed breeds.. maybe black sex link. Will be interesting to see when she starts to lay!

Thanks for sharing.

Thank you!

 

[mikele86]

Remember chickens don’t moult until there are adults so if she’s younger it’s not moulting

Thanks! I'm not certain of the age. Was told these were "pullets"...

 

[aart]

Remember chickens don’t moult until there are adults so if she’s younger it’s not moulting

That is not necessarily true.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Remember chickens don’t moult until there are adults so if she’s younger it’s not moulting

That isn't accurate, though it is a widespread misconception.

Chickens actually do a bunch of mini molts on their way to adult hood. Several of my gals have molted at 9 months old or a year. Mid winter, early spring, post broody, or whenever they feel like it.

She actually does look fairly young to me. Pullets means female chicken under one year old to people in the know and those telling the truth. I don't see any tell tell signs of her being older. Wrinkles or scars, dry legs and so on.

After raising several hundred birds... there are very few things that hold true in my experience... hens can crow and grow spurs. Only things I know that always hold true so far... roosters don't lay eggs and hens don't grow long pointy saddle feathers.

Molting can be brought on by any stress such as moving, starvation or lack of nutrition, decreased light exposure, parasites, bullying, and so on. It also COULD just be a juvenile molt.

Chickens are born with all the ovum they will ever produce. So even if she takes a little longer to start laying... they eggs will likely also be a bit larger, accommodated by her more mature body. In my over thinking brain I know that only counts if she doesn't face reproductive tract issues with age... But I do still consider it (if pretend only) as one trade off for the later layers.