molt?

Yes, they lose them just under the ear area in a ring, sort of and on the front of their chest and feathers also break off from being old and brittle. Molting isn't pretty!

 

Is there a certin time of year that they molt? All my Aracana's seem to be molting and they are not laying. Is this normal for this time of year? Seems like they shouldn't be loosing feathers as it gets colder.

 

Counterintuitive, isn't it? But inexplicably some do molt just when you think they should be putting overcoats on.

JJ

 

Does seem odd, but some of mine are finished and some of mine are in the middle of molting. One of mine has been semi-bald for months, poor girl.

 

The first bird we saw loosing feathers, I picked up and looked at her neck and my 10 year old Daughter said, "oooh, sick, that looks like a chewed on corn cob........I'm never eating chicken or corn again!" Not that we eat our chickens, mind you, but it really isn't pretty and I swear they seem embarased, don't want to be touched.........I would feel the same I suppose!

 

Funny you mention that; I do notice that while they're "prickly", they are much more skittish and they return to their normal friendly sweet selves after their feathers grow back, LOL. Guess I'd feel the same way, too. Makes me wish they'd molt really, really fast so they wouldn't act crazy when I try to pick them up.

 

Is it possible that molting is uncomfortable physically for them? What I mean is their skin is covered by feathers all year long and all of a sudden during molt it is exposed.

 

It certainly is possible. Makes sense that it would feel as icky to them as it does to us to feel those prickly quills. They aren't used to that much contact with their bare skin.

 

It seems to upset some hens more than others. I have one poor hen that just sits in the nest box trying to keep to warm ( I think ) and has no interest in food or others in the flock.... poor girl.

bigzio