Molting and cleaning up all those feathers

[drinnenm]

Ok my hens have finished molting and there are all these feathers in the run are, I need to rake these out don't I ? Looks like it would be a health issue for the hens.

 

[HS Pye]

Hi,

I personally don't even worry about feathers being near my chickens after a molt :/. Why do you think it'd be a health issue?

HS Pye

 

[drinnenm]

I didn't know thought they might cause mites...this is the first year my hens have molted and didn't know if they should be cleaned up or not, but if it's not an issue I won't worry about it. Thanks

 

[HS Pye]

Hi,

I've never heard of that : /. It should be fine, unless you like a tidy coop/pen.

HS Pye

 

[Crysta]

Loose feathers can harbor hatching eggs of nits. It helps prevent mites to have a clean coop and allowing chickens access to dust bathing area.

Crysta

 

[drinnenm]

Thanks, I think I'm gonna clean them out....do it this weekend.

 

[BantamKing]

Can't wait for spring shows

 

[azygous]

An artist friend asked me to save all my molting feathers for her. So I gathered them up as they fell, to preserve the condition, and I gave them to her. It turns out she's fashioning wreathes out of chicken and wild turkey feathers.

 

[aart]

Molted feathers are only a source for mites/lice if your chickens already have mites/lice.

 

[HS Pye]

Molted feathers are only a source for mites/lice if your chickens already have mites/lice.

Yup, mites won't go to the already molted feathers over a chicken itself. Overall even if the molted feathers have mites, then so do your chickens. This would be simply solved by treating you chickens for mites.

HS Pye