MOLT??? ALREADY????

[sandyj]

My friends chickens are about 9 months old and just started laying eggs in November. There has been zero eggs for 3 -4 days and before that about 1 per day for about 1 1/2 weeks. She only has 3 hens laying. She has noticed feathers all over the coop for about the last week. Isn't it too early for molting if they just started laying in November???? Do they go through more than 1 molt in a lifetime?

sandyj

 

[debilorrah]

I know they mini-molt around that age. Not a complete molt, but may stop laying for a little while. They do a full molt at 18 months, thereabout. I think they molt annually, but I am not 100% positive.