Is this normal?

[teriz1091]

We have a trio of hens. This red hen hasn't laid but one egg all summer long. She's also got something weird going on with the feathers on her chest. She's only 1yr old. I thought her laying would pick back up once the heat was over, but nothing so far.

 

[minihorse927]

How does the skin look where the weird feathering is? Any abnormal growths or anything under the skin? Any other unusual experiences?

 

[MrsBrooke]

She could be molting.

MrsB

 

[teriz1091]

Would molting last all summer? She's acting 100% normal, other than not laying & the messed up feathers. I'm no chicken expert, but she's let me feel the area & I don't feel anything off, but I haven't visually inspected her skin.

This is our first flock. What is molting? Probably a silly question.

 

[BurntFeather]

Molting differs between each chicken, but can last 12 week. Some chickens molt more than once a year and each molt in their own pattern. 10 of my ladies are still molting after 8 weeks and not laying eggs while 2 older hens were done after only 3 three weeks and still produced eggs the entire time.

 

[BurntFeather]

Molting is the natural shedding of old feathers and growth of new ones. It can occur at any time due to lack of water, food, or sudden change in normal lighting conditions. Broody hen molt furiously after their eggs have hatched as they return to normal routines. Feathers consist on 85% protein and feather productions places great demand on a chicken's energy and nutrient stores, because of this egg production is likely to drop. Molting takes 2-12 weeks or more. Newly emerging feathers have a vein-filled shaft/quill which can bleed if cut or injured.

 

[MrsBrooke]

My birds molted late summer and are still growing theirs feathers in.

During this time, I'll get two to four eggs a day from my 18 girls. -_-

MrsB