Mid-June Molt?

[TXChixRock]

I live in Southern California, in Ventura on the coast, which is about 70 miles north of LA. I have 3 Barred Rocks which are just over 2 years. We had a molt last fall. One of my girls is the first molting about 1 month before the other 2. Gertie, her name, had a light molt in late April. Now, I got scared because she is molting again. Dropping feathers everywhere.

I thought this is unusual since we are in mid July. But our weather has been so weird. We had almost no sun most of May and half of June. Here we call it May gray, June gloom and temperatures did not get over 65.

Now in mid July, we are still having overcast foggy days with a few sunny ones, Temps are not above mid to upper 70s.

I checked for mites, worms, vent gleet all are negative. She is eating, doing her usual dust baths and not seeming out of the normal except for the feather loss and stop in egg laying. Last night when I checked her, I did see new feathers coming in.

So, I guess my question is, is it normal, or at least not unheard of, for a hen to begin molting in mid summer? Or am I looking at a more serious issue?

Our weather this summer has definitely affected our egg production this summer. Either it is the girls age or the weather, but my egg production is much lower.

Now, if things go like it did last winter, in a month or so, my other 2 girls, should start molting.

Thanks for any feedback. It will ease the mind of a troubled mother hen. Lol

I had the same thing happen last year. First time in 15 years I’ve had a summer molt. Dont worry about it. The only downside, aside from no eggs, is how slowly they re-feather. No cause for concern.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

My buff Brahma is blowing out feathers like crazy. My white Brahmas shed some, but not nearly as many as Ginger. We live at the bottom of the Holler, so the sun sets at about six o’clock in Summer. They’re on the roost by then every day. They are otherwise healthy and happy, so I try not to stress too much. I just make sure Ginger gets a few extra bites of protein everyday. My Speckled Sussex is raising four chicks right now so the Flockers are all eating chick chow.

 

[Sophia V]

My buff Brahma is blowing out feathers like crazy. My white Brahmas shed some, but not nearly as many as Ginger. We live at the bottom of the Holler, so the sun sets at about six o’clock in Summer. They’re on the roost by then every day. They are otherwise healthy and happy, so I try not to stress too much. I just make sure Ginger gets a few extra bites of protein everyday. My Speckled Sussex is raising four chicks right now so the Flockers are all eating chick chow.

Thank you. Yes it's a molt. Gertie is now losing her larger feathers. I have feathers everywhere. I read an article that stated not all hens go according to the book. Since Gertie has been different from a young age, I think she just rolls to her own beat.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Thank you. Yes it's a molt. Gertie is now losing her larger feathers. I have feathers everywhere. I read an article that stated not all hens go according to the book. Since Gertie has been different from a young age, I think she just rolls to her own beat.

Years on and I still have two hens that like to molt in July. Beyond that, they seem perfectly healthy, so I'm no longer concerned. The upshot is that they have an easier time staying cool when they lose feathers in the summer--I always feel bad for the ones that molt in the Fall/Winter when it's getting cold.

 

[Sophia V]

Years on and I still have two hens that like to molt in July. Beyond that, they seem perfectly healthy, so I'm no longer concerned. The upshot is that they have an easier time staying cool when they lose feathers in the summer--I always feel bad for the ones that molt in the Fall/Winter when it's getting cold.

Good point. I did not think about the being cool in the summer