Molting??? This time of year???

[Year of the Rooster]

Lately there have been a lot of feathers around the run. I picked up a few of my hens today, ran my fingers through their feathers and, low-and-behold, bunches of them fell out! The way the feathers are falling out is the exact same from when they molted last fall (e.g. my Sebright hen always loses her tail feathers first, then her neck feathers, etc. etc.) Why would they be molting this time of year? Maybe the strange weather here (all the thunderstorms, tornado warnings, hot weather, it's just nuts!)?

I'm honestly stumped. What do you think?

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
I've got a whole bunch of chickens who are molting right now too.

 

[poseygrace]

Mine are molting, too. I've wondered if the heat causes it, I live in Georgia and it's boiling. Seems like a good time to molt, actually... less feathers = cooler bodies?

 

[Year of the Rooster]

You've got me. That seems pretty logical.

 

[chicmom]

I've got some molting as well.....

 

[sawmane1]

Quote:
My chickens started molting as soon as it got hot here too.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Some of my roosters are molting right now, too. I have read that it isn't too uncommon for some chickens to molt in the spring, even though fall is generally when they molt. I suppose it might be helpful for those of us with molting chickens to make sure they have enough protein in their diet and make sure they are not getting too many treats that may prevent them from eating adequate amounts of their nutritionally balanced feed. That way they will replace the lost feathers a bit faster.

 

[mommto3kiddos]

I have 5 out of 8 molting here too!!!

 

[Year of the Rooster]

scratch'n'peck :

Some of my roosters are molting right now, too. I have read that it isn't too uncommon for some chickens to molt in the spring, even though fall is generally when they molt. I suppose it might be helpful for those of us with molting chickens to make sure they have enough protein in their diet and make sure they are not getting too many treats that may prevent them from eating adequate amounts of their nutritionally balanced feed. That way they will replace the lost feathers a bit faster.

I never expected them to molt in June though

 

[endo12]

One of my coops has stopped laying entirely. Their rumps are bare (no rooster). In the other coop they are still laying but lots of feathers are missing. I treated for mites/lice just in case. I've never had hens molt in the winter and then again in the spring.