Molting in July?

[lissanne32]

My hens have been laying since January very consistently (1 egg/chicken/day- sometimes double yolks) and in the last week or so everyone has either stopped or slowed down. Two of the hens were very quiet and losing weight, so I took them out and gave them antibiotics. They seem to be fine and have joined the flock again. Now I'm wondering if they weren't really sick at all and this may be the first signs of molting. I've checked them for parasites, their feathers look clean to me. They are definitely not on death's doorstep, just not as fat and happy and laying as usual. Is it normal to molt in the middle of summer? They have never molted before (or moulted, not sure which spelling is correct). Thanks!

 

[Kevin565]

I don't raise chicken so I don't know what is normal for them but

 

[jreynolds]

Lissanne32 - are you located in a hot part of the country? I know that by us it's been very hot lately (temps between 90-105), and I don't think that my pullets are gaining weight as rapidly as they were before it got so hot. I have also heard from others that extreme heat can cause chickens to stop laying for a while.
Hope you can figure out what it is!

 

[Den in Penn]

How hot has it been? Even with young hens heat takes a toll. If they just started to lay in January they are just about a year old. They don't normally molt for the first time until they are near 18 months, so late fall or early winter. Have they possibly been stressed somehow?

 

[lissanne32]

It has been unseasonably cool the last 2 weeks. We maybe hit 70 and overcast/rain all week. It could be stress- one of our hens was broody up until a week or two ago and I found a cracked egg and one laid on the floor of the hen house and not in the nesting box not too long ago, but our brooder is happy and is the only one laying every day. They all seem content now (they are taking dust baths and lounging in the sun) and I gave them all a tub of yogurt to eat today that I'm hoping will balance their guts back out. Good to know that the molting will most likely happen later in the year. Thanks!