Losing feathers?

[Mys Teri]

The last couple of days I have noticed a lot more feathers in the run than normal. They seem to be concentrated in the corners. My pullets are only 3 months old, so I think they are too young for a molt. Also, most of the feathers seem to be the short downy ones. So far, no obvious bare spots on any of the chickens.
Should I be concerned?

 

[Poultry parent]

at about 8-12 weeks old pullets molt out their feathers and grow in their adult feathers, they will molt again in the winter or next winter as most chickens don't have a winter molt in their first year

 

[Mys Teri]

I guess I thought they already had their adult feathers. Their butts are still fluffy though, so maybe they are getting butt feathers? Lol. I have EE chickens, so I thought maybe the fluffy butt was normal for adults.

Could the heat be contributing? It is really hot (85-95), and my girls are all panting and holding their feathers out.
(They have plenty of shade, 3 waterers, cold water, and a wading pool).

 

[Poultry parent]

i know, they get their adult feathers and then molt them out

 

[Mys Teri]

Oh, and do FL chickens molt in the "winter"? We don't really have a winter, just a couple of sporadic days in the low 40's and the rest of our winter is in the high 50s to low 60s.

 

[rottlady]

my 13/14 week olds (Cream Legbar and Barnevelder) are dropping feathers like crazy. One pullet lost her entire tail in the last few days

I am used to finches and Button quail. They molt out of down to feathers, then around 6 months ish molt to adult feathers then annual molts, but one of my Delaware breeder friends told me her Delawares molt 5-7 times between down and adult plumage holy wow

 

[Poultry parent]

i'm not sure if they would molt in the time of year considered winter, but they do molt once a year to get new healthy feathers