molting? I think? Please help!!

[amydzek]

ok what is molting? it looks like a pillow fight outside and my white hens look pathetic.. they have stopped laying and I dont know whats wrong? I have added scratch and cottage cheese to their food... (added, not instead of food) and they have been allowed to forage often... HELP PLEASE

 

[Imp]

That does sound like molt. How old are they? They will regrow their feathers in a few weeks to maybe a couple months. You can increase their protein intake, helps with the refeathering.

Imp- Good luck

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Have you looked at the Worst Chicken Molt Picture Contest above under announcements? Your chickens probably don't look much worse then most of those. Extra protein can help them with their newly developing feathers. Molting is just a normal process in which old feathers are shed and new ones grow in. Early fall is a typical time for molt.

 

[amydzek]

ok so they are not dying??? I have checked them over time and time again for mites and I am not finding any... I am worried that I might need to spray sunscreen on them... it is still kinda hot here and very sunny, I dont want them to burn.... I know that birds molt but I didnt know that chickens did... I guess they are a little over a year old... the ones who are losing their feathers... the other 2 'babies' have just started to lay...

 

[Prisserbabe]

Molt.

 

[moetrout]

Your chickens won't burn, most likely just a slow broil. You should be able to smell when they are done!