Molting? Feathers everywhere!!!!

[ChickenCanoe]

With a soft molt it can be as long as 4 months.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have 3 10 month old EE hens or Americanas. Feathers were everywhere in the pen the other day....the soft downy ones. Then one of the girls lost all of her tail feathers. They are all happy, eating well and laying. They lay the prettiest, large green eggs. Is this molting? No other feathers are coming out. Should I be concerned? Will her tail feathers come back?

I've had 9 month old birds do the same - they lose their tail and some downy feathers, and that's it. It's still a molt, but a very minor one.

My chickens have been molting about a month now. As I have been reading, they are 18 months old. This seems to be a slow molt as they have no bare spots but a continuous moderate loss of feathers. They also are not laying eggs. I gave them some plain Greek yogurt a few times and they loved it.
About how long can I expect this to continue?

It depends on the severity of the molt. A hard molt can take a lot of body weight out of them, which they need to get back before laying again. Average for my flock is about 3 months. Some are a bit quicker and some a bit slower. Give them all the protein treats you have, they need more protein, as feathers are mostly protein.

 

[joycem]

Thank you everyone for the information. I worry about the little girls!

 

[jeanlbean]

Thanks for your help Happy Chooks!! I will stop worrying....lol.