Is this Molting??

[BallyFarm]

So I thought my hens went through there molting session this past summer. But my Rhode Island Hen aka Hedwig has a lot of feathers missing. I checked for Mites and Lice and saw no signs of those creatures. So my only other thought is she is still molting. Its just soo cold that how will she survive without her feathers?? I’m still new at this whole chicken raising thing and am so grateful you’re here to help!

 

[sourland]

That's a full blown molt. Generally late molters like her feather in quickly because of the low temperatures. As long as she is well fed and your coop is draft free she should be fine. I would be concerned if she were to get rained on and chilled.

 

[PioneerChicks]

It sure looks like a molt to me!

 

[Unicornlife3316]

My RIR Regina looks just like this poor girl but with more neck feathers missing than yours. I’ve found no trace of lice or mites either, guess they both decided to be late molters!

 

[BallyFarm]

My RIR Regina looks just like this poor girl but with more neck feathers missing than yours. I’ve found no trace of lice or mites either, guess they both decided to be late molters!

Glad I’m not the only one!!

 

[micstrachan]

Yep... molt. My blue laced red wyandotte Lucky looked like that a week or so ago, and her flock mate Cashew (buff orp) is dropping feathers currently. It concerns me when they molt in winter, but they get through it. I have found my hens tend to starve themselves a bit when they molt. However, they cannot resist warm baby bird formula and eat it voraciously. I sneak into the coop with a headlamp and offer it right up to the bird(s) in question or try to sneak it to them during the day. The reason for the sneakiness is the rest of the flock will also want it and the molters tend to back away from the commotion.

 

[Cwestlake]

So I thought my hens went through there molting session this past summer. But my Rhode Island Hen aka Hedwig has a lot of feathers missing. I checked for Mites and Lice and saw no signs of those creatures. So my only other thought is she is still molting. Its just soo cold that how will she survive without her feathers?? I’m still new at this whole chicken raising thing and am so grateful you’re here to help!

My Speckled Sussex is in a molt also it’s been now 3 1/2 weeks... I also worry that she will get cold my other 3 hens haven’t molted yet...

 

[cluckmecoop7]

My girls are finishing a hard molt right now. Sure looks like what they had! I'm pretty sure it's a > MOLT.

 

[Palogal]

I strongly suspect my girl, a 1 1/2 year old Australorp is also in a hard molt. Found her looking puny in the coop on Friday. A little TLC in the house over the weekend with high protein food and I plan to reunite her with the family today (sunny and mid 40's outside).

 

[BallyFarm]

Yep... molt. My blue laced red wyandotte Lucky looked like that a week or so ago, and her flock mate Cashew (buff orp) is dropping feathers currently. It concerns me when they molt in winter, but they get through it. I have found my hens tend to starve themselves a bit when they molt. However, they cannot resist warm baby bird formula and eat it voraciously. I sneak into the coop with a headlamp and offer it right up to the bird(s) in question or try to sneak it to them during the day. The reason for the sneakiness is the rest of the flock will also want it and the molters tend to back away from the commotion.

When you say baby chick formula what do you mean?