Losing feathers when new chicks introduced

[Beth42]

Hi
In the last week I have introduced my four 7 week old chicks into the main run with my 2 older hens.
It’s been pretty successful and the older ones have shown them who’s boss but not too aggressively (a little bit of pecking but no massive attacks)
One of the older ones has now started to lose a lot of feathers. Could this be due to stress of the new chicks or just a molt? You can see the feathers fly out when she shakes herself up.

 

[feather13]

We introduced our 12 week old chicks to the two 6-ish year old hens about a week ago and they've all started molting like crazy. There are so many feathers in the coop and run I thought a raccoon had gotten in. It's kind of early to molt, but maybe ours started because the temps were over 100 and we have wildfires all around us, so I'm sure it's stressful.

If you live in a place with mild weather, maybe check the chicken for mites and for worms?

 

[rosemarythyme]

How old are the hens? I assume you live in northern hemisphere? While chicks can trigger weird reactions in hens, if they're over a year old, then it's likely just annual molting.

 

[Beth42]

The molting one is about 4 yrs old and we live in the uk. Temperatures are about 18deg Celsius right now.

 

[aart]

The molting one is about 4 yrs old and we live in the uk. Temperatures are about 18deg Celsius right now.

It's not about temperature, it's about the shortening daylight hours.
Have you had this bird for 4 years?

 

[Beth42]

That makes more sense re sunlight hours. Yep I’ve had her since POL but I’ve never had one molt before.
She’s a bit of a sensitive one and has always been at the bottom and henpecked quite a lot (until I lost the pecker a year or so ago)

 

[aart]

Yep I’ve had her since POL but I’ve never had one molt before.

They molt every year starting at about 18 months old.

 

[Beth42]

They molt every year starting at about 18 months old.

I’ve never noticed them molt this much before - maybe the odd stray feather but nothing like this and I’ve kept 3 hens for about 8 years now, which is why I was concerned. But if it’s perfectly normal, then I’ll stop worrying

 

[rosemarythyme]

I’ve never noticed them molt this much before - maybe the odd stray feather but nothing like this and I’ve kept 3 hens for about 8 years now, which is why I was concerned. But if it’s perfectly normal, then I’ll stop worrying

Molts can vary a lot from bird to bird, and even for an individual bird year to year. Many of mine don't look like they're in molt (no bare patches, no cluster of pinfeathers), but going by the color of shed feathers I can usually figure out which ones are going through it.