Molting chickens right now?

[frenchtchr]

Hi all,
I've read a lot on this, and I'm just confused right now as one of my larger chickens (lavender orp) who I just got to stop being broody for the (4th time in two years) is now molting, but she already molted once last year. Should/Could she be molting again? It seems odd that she would molt at the start of summer, but what do I know? She's losing wing feathers and ones off her back thus far. I've checked for mites around everyone's vents, nothing, didn't see lice, but I could be wrong as I'm not exactly sure what to look for. Should I treat anyhow?

The hen who is going through the molt hasn't laid in a while anyhow as she went broody, (she's my broody pain in the butt). I also have an Ameraucana in molt, but she didn't last year and she's the same age as my Lavender. No one else is losing feathers, so I'm kind of at a loss. Out of 7 chickens, I only have three laying right now, which seems odd as it's summer.

Haven't changed foods, they're out marching around part of my yard, haven't changed anything. Clean out their area regularly on the weekends. I'm just at a loss. Oldest three are two years old, younger 4 are about a year-ish?

Thanks in advance for any ideas or light you can shed.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Once a hen is done being broody or brooding a clutch ,they will usually molt.

 

[frenchtchr]

She was only broody for about 3-4 days though, I kicked her out of the nest box and blocked it off at night.

 

[aart]

Once a hen is done being broody or brooding a clutch ,they will usually molt.

Possible, but not usually.

I've checked for mites around everyone's vents, nothing, didn't see lice, but I could be wrong as I'm not exactly sure what to look for. Should I treat anyhow?

I would not treat unless you are sure they have bugs, sure by seeing them.
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

She's losing wing feathers and ones off her back thus far.

Are new feathers growing in....do you see any pin feathers?

How many times has she been broody?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Well,my roosters molting now do I guess this is for us both to figure out.

 

[frenchtchr]

I'm located in the Inland Empire area of So Cal, near the city of Corona. It's hot here, which is why it seems odd that they'd be in a molt right now, but whatever.

As far as how many times she's been broody, in the last two years since she's be alive, I want to say 4, I haven't marked it down. She goes into the lay box of the coop and sits there for days, and puffs up and "growls" at me, but at least she doesn't peck like my other buff orp(who is a total snot when she's broody). I kicked her out of the box last week because I didn't feel like dealing with her being broody yet again, and she's out all day, so I thought she was done with the broody behavior. She was in the lay box area last night when I went to close up the coop for the night with my Ameraucana, yet she is out and about all day and this morning. When I was petting her last night while she was in the box, I could feel little feathers on her back where she seems to have lost them. It's the only way I can really pet her as she's not one of my friendly chickens.

I'll try the paper towel thing on the roosting bar.

 

[frenchtchr]

Checked the roosting bar, no blood, however there were a couple of drops below the roost. I looked over the girls, and nothing. Didn't see any scabs on anyone. Might that be a sign? The spot of blood was at least the size of a pencil eraser.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

To those who think that it is cute for a hen to sit and sit in a fruitless atempt to hatch non fertile eggs, or that you are doing her a favor by "giving her a break" there is a husbandry practice in that big old bad commercial poultry bizz that is called a FORCED MOLT. I won't get to involved with telling you how to do it but the idea is to get the molt over with and done so that your hens will be up and running at full speed when the price of eggs go up in the Fall. A forced molt involves starvation and starvation is basically what a sitting hen experiences when she is on her nest. I believe this is why your often broody hen is going through an early or off season molt. Do yourself and your hens a favor and break up any hen who is trying to set before she harms herself.

 

[aart]

Might that be a sign? The spot of blood was at least the size of a pencil eraser.

Probably not..once in awhile I'll find spots of blood around, rarely find the source.
Pecked comb can fling blood drops around but they heal fast.

 

[frenchtchr]

To those who think that it is cute for a hen to sit and sit in a fruitless atempt to hatch non fertile eggs, or that you are doing her a favor by "giving her a break" there is a husbandry practice in that big old bad commercial poultry bizz that is called a FORCED MOLT. I won't get to involved with telling you how to do it but the idea is to get the molt over with and done so that your hens will be up and running at full speed when the price of eggs go up in the Fall. A forced molt involves starvation and starvation is basically what a sitting hen experiences when she is on her nest. I believe this is why your often broody hen is going through an early or off season molt. Do yourself and your hens a favor and break up any hen who is trying to set before she harms herself.

I didn't say I thought it was cute, nor am I trying to do harm to my chickens. I wasn't trying to give her a break. As I am new to chickens, only had them for the past two years, much like others I have questions. I also have two small kids, a job, and other responsibilities much like many other people. I'm asking people who have more experience than me. I'm trying to do the best by my girls, and quite honestly your implications aren't very helpful or welcoming. She's quite determined and now that I've figured out how best to get her out of the lay box when she goes broody I will continue to do so, but thanks for your judgmental post. It was super helpful.