Juvenile molt? This is over the top.

[azygous]

I've raised my share of chicks over a twelve year period, and never encountered an obvious juvenile molt among them. I am aware that most chicks do have periodic discrete feather loss as they grow in their adult plumage, but my current twelve-week olds have been molting their entire lives. As soon as they began getting feathers, they began to lose them.

The puzzling thing is that all five of the three different breeds show no bald spots, and the discarded feathers all seem normal with no signs of feather stripping. I've pawed over their bodies looking for parasites, and I can barely find enough exposed skin to check.

The adult flock show no signs of molt or feather loss beyond a couple floating to the ground following a rooster encounter. The amount of discarded feathers from the five youngest accounts for 99% of the feathers I pick up, adding up to a gallon (not hyperbole) over a couple of months.

The five juveniles share a coop with two adult hens that are not evidencing any feather loss. I've seen no evidence of coop mites. These five are black sex links golden sex links, and one Blue Andelusian, so I doubt it's genetics causing this. The chicks have eaten fermented Flock Raiser since day one, same as the adults. They are normal and active and appear to be perfect.

Why such prolific feather loss which has been going on since they were a month old? I'd sure like to hear some thoughts on this.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Huh. That's odd. Are you noticing any similarities/patterns among your 12 week olds? Or could it be related to weather???

 

[azygous]

Since they've been molting, the weather has gone from below freezing to sizzling 80s. There is no pattern. They are all molting. It's easy to see they are since two shed black feathers, two produce golden fallout and the fifth produces enough blue feathers for three chicks.

The chicks hatched in early April, began shedding feathers by the end of April.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have no idea. I have a Cochin that seems to be molting perpetually, but she's the only one. And I just kind of assumed it's because she's all feather. I tried to do a little research via Google, and came up empty handed. Hopefully someone with more experience than I possess will have an idea.

Wish I could help to return all the help you've provided...

 

[chickens really]

Very interesting because my Speckled Sussex are exactly the same as yours are then..Molting like crazy without any noticeable baldness and are healthy...I wonder if it's not temperature? Mine definitely have no mites either..My SS are only going to be 4 months old soon.

 

[azygous]

@chickens really I guess I need to know this is something others have experienced with their chicks and that it's normal.

On the flip side, I have a three-year old Legbar/EE mix that has had one molt in her life. She skipped fall molt and still shows no signs of having her second molt. She's also very healthy and active, but looks like a worn out, abused and discarded toy.

 

[chickens really]

@chickens really I guess I need to know this is something others have experienced with their chicks and that it's normal.

On the flip side, I have a three-year old Legbar/EE mix that has had one molt in her life. She skipped fall molt and still shows no signs of having her second molt. She's also very healthy and active, but looks like a worn out, abused and discarded toy.

Strange...I still think it's temperature and possibly she will molt this fall? I had 3 year old birds that never molted except for the one buff Orpington..