Molting in winter

[Sammster]

What I thought was feather pulling, I now believe to be a full molt. Is that possible in the cold of winter? It looks like a chicken exploded. A couple of them are looking rather ratty. They are 18 months old and have yet to have a full molt. We have had a very odd winter. Unusually warm, with a couple of deep-freezes.

Edit for more information:
I just went out to do a mite check. I checked Charlotte, who roosts over the spot where most of the feathers drop, and Addie Mae, who looks ratty. No mites. But while I checked Charlotte over, she lost a dozen feathers. She's also one of the girls I had put peepers on. I removed the peepers when it seemed that picking wasn't our problem.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some of my bantams have been full body molting in the last month. It's been an unusual winter all around.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What I thought was feather pulling, I now believe to be a full molt. Is that possible in the cold of winter? It looks like a chicken exploded. A couple of them are looking rather ratty. They are 18 months old and have yet to have a full molt. We have had a very odd winter. Unusually warm, with a couple of deep-freezes.

Edit for more information:
I just went out to do a mite check. I checked Charlotte, who roosts over the spot where most of the feathers drop, and Addie Mae, who looks ratty. No mites. But while I checked Charlotte over, she lost a dozen feathers. She's also one of the girls I had put peepers on. I removed the peepers when it seemed that picking wasn't our problem.

Photos are always welcome.

Yes, molting can happen in the middle of winter. If you are seeing lots of feathers around in the coop and new pin feathers coming in, then molting for sure.

 

[Sammster]

I'll get some photos. Thank you

 

[Sammster]

It's hard to get pictures of these girls! Hope these help.
My 18 month old girls sleep in the small, attached, pre-fab coop - by choice.
My 6 month-old girls sleep in the big, shed-coop, by choice. But they move freely between each coop and the attached run, throughout the day - laying eggs in each other's nest boxes.
It's clear to me that all of the feather "shedding" is happening to the older girls. Mostly, but not exclusively, at night. I have found mostly small feathers - but, definitely large feathers, too.
They had been on a Dumor mix of starter crumbles and 16% layer pellets. Just this Tuesday, I switched them to Kalmach non GMO 17% layer feed.
I dunno what happened to photo #5

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I always get a few hens that will go through a neck molt this time of year. It never involves the whole body, just around the neck. I always see it as a sign we are getting closer to spring. So if it doesn't progress beyond the head than that's what it is. Full body molts includes the tail and wing feathers. So see if it progresses or not.

 

[Sammster]

Look at all the pin feathers!

Poor Gertz. She really does look ratty

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Look at all the pin feathers!View attachment 3404415
Poor Gertz. She really does look ratty
View attachment 3404417

She's prickly

 

[TeresalaGrande]

What I thought was feather pulling, I now believe to be a full molt. Is that possible in the cold of winter? It looks like a chicken exploded. A couple of them are looking rather ratty. They are 18 months old and have yet to have a full molt. We have had a very odd winter. Unusually warm, with a couple of deep-freezes.

Edit for more information:
I just went out to do a mite check. I checked Charlotte, who roosts over the spot where most of the feathers drop, and Addie Mae, who looks ratty. No mites. But while I checked Charlotte over, she lost a dozen feathers. She's also one of the girls I had put peepers on. I removed the peepers when it seemed that picking wasn't our problem.

Hello, My hens have been suffering from a lot of baldness for months, now. It might be since we replaced their coop with a secondhand one (preloved to you Americans). However, we have regularly demited the coop, the pen and the girls themselves. One of them is practically bald underneath. We don't see any feathers lying around at all. They eat good quality layers mash with 17 or 18% protein, which is the best I can get here. They probably have too many treats. Incidentally, there is no grass in their pen, so we give them greens every day. Do the greens count as treats, or are they a separate category? My hens look awful! They seem quite happy and are laying consistently and have done so throughout the winter, which may not be a good thing really. Does anyone have any advice?

 

[Sammster]

Hello, My hens have been suffering from a lot of baldness for months, now. It might be since we replaced their coop with a secondhand one (preloved to you Americans). However, we have regularly demited the coop, the pen and the girls themselves. One of them is practically bald underneath. We don't see any feathers lying around at all. They eat good quality layers mash with 17 or 18% protein, which is the best I can get here. They probably have too many treats. Incidentally, there is no grass in their pen, so we give them greens every day. Do the greens count as treats, or are they a separate category? My hens look awful! They seem quite happy and are laying consistently and have done so throughout the winter, which may not be a good thing really. Does anyone have any advice?

Could they be feathering their nests? Are the getting supplemental calcium?