Is there a specific time of year that chickens molt?

[SecretHavenFarm]

I think my silkie rooster may be molting? Do chickens molt a certain time a year?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yes and No. Chickens can molt at any time. Most do molt when the days get shorter. The shorter days triggers something in them that it is time to quit laying eggs and grow a new coat of feathers so that their natural down coat can keep them warm when the weather turns cold. Many people do believe that they only molt in the fall, but the truth is that any stress can cause a molt. Them running out of water for a while is a typical stress that will cause a molt. Predator attacks, significant changes ot their social structure or location, some diseases, many different things may cause it. The standard one is that the days are getting shorter, though.

Juveniles will also molt a couple of times before they reach sexual maturity. There are a lot of posts on this forum where there are feathers all over the coop! What is wrong with my 12 week olds!!! Nothing is wrong with them. They are just undergoing a juvenile molt.