June molt? Anybody else seeing this?

[jjthink]

BJ roo would seem to be molting - never before happened at this time of year. Big feathers everywhere. To try to be be sure it wasn't anything else I checked him over and new feathers are beginning to emerge. This began before the insane inferno of a heat wave a couple weeks ago.

Anybody else have birds molting now? Should I be concerned? His last molt was last fall.

JJ

 

[jessica117]

I also have a cochin roo that would appear to be moulting. I don't know if its normal or not. None of my other chickens are loosing feathers. I just noticed it yesterday evening, but haven't had time to go out and inspect any closer. I hope it's nothing to worry about.

 

[Anne]

I have birds molt all times of year. Sometimes birds will molt at unusual times as a response to stress.

 

[Kanchii]

Some molt at crazy times

 

[ravenfeathers]

my hen is just coming out of a heavy molt that she started in the beginning of may. concerned, i scoured the internet for information on moulting. the general consensus on timing of the moult is that there is no general consensus. i read article after article, essay after essay, and FAQ after FAQ that swore chickens only moult at "x" age, during "x" season, or for "x" environmental reasons. problem was, all the "x"es were different!

 

[airmom1c05]

I have a 2 yr. old silkie Serama bantam hen who is molting now. I'm not concerned; just missing those cute little eggs!

 

[SpottedCrow]

Obelisk usually moults in July...

 

[speckledhen]

Yep, just found three of Suede's longest sickle feathers and both his ladies are almost completely bare all the way around their middles and their bums. Definite molt.

 

[jjthink]

Glad to hear BJ's not alone here! Thanks so very much - jessica, anne, kanchi, raven, airmom, spotted and speckled - for letting me know your experience(s) and research. BJ's always molted in the fall so this came as as a bit of a surprise. A molt combined with summer heat could mean a lot of stress for him. I'll have to keep a close eye on him, continue to support nutritionally and hope all will be well. His friend Annie isn't molting in the least - oblivious. While standing, BJ is also holding his lower wing feathers in an extended position some of the time (like when you fan out a deck of cards) - don't know what's up with that. - but it started when he started dropping feathers. Never saw him do that in prior years.
Chickens are never dull

JJ

 

[panner123]

As hot as it is here I wish all my chickens would molt now or at least get in the pond. I hate seeing them pant and hold their wings out trying to stay cool. I run the sprinklers in and around the yards all day and keep the fans on in the coops. Where there is damp spots in the yards they fight over the cool ground. They are lucky to have all the shade they do also. I don't know how a chicken could be in the sun now.