Molting?

WVGal

In the Brooder
Dec 12, 2015
32
4
44
It looks like 2 of my 5 australorp hens are molting. One is around 8 months and the other is 10 months old. Is this odd? I thought they would be over a year old when this happened the first time. The weather is also unseasonably warm for our area. I wonder if this would contribute. I can't find any evidence of parasites and I checked them all.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC!

It is not common, but it can happen. Lots of people this fall have been commenting on how their young birds are molting at 8 and 9 months of age. Not sure what is going on. If any of them have been broody or under any stress such as predators or moved to new grounds or quarters, these can trigger a molt. Even going without water and getting too dehydrated can throw birds into a molt.

As long as they seem healthy, are eating and drinking well, seem active enough, then I would say all is well. Never hurts to up their protein level during a molt to help them grow in those nice feathers.

Good luck and welcome to our flock! :)
 
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The one looks like I would expect with a lot of new feathers growing on her neck. The other is kind of odd. It's just her belly feathers. She has some new feathers but a lot of just naked skin. It's a nice flesh color without sores. Is it normal to get some isolated spots like that? Been trying to research it. I read that molting usually starts at the neck and works it's way down.
 
They will pluck their own feathers in the nest box each time they go to lay, even if they are the slightest bit broody. If they pluck one feather with each egg, by fall their breasts are bare! LOL

As for the one molting on the neck, this is generally where molting starts or at least where you will first notice it. Does this one have lots of pin feathers coming in?
 
The one molting has a lot of pin feathers.

As far as my girl with the bare belly- do I need to address this some way?
 
Sounds like this one is molting.

As for the other, there isn't anything you can do. If I have a hen with a really bald breast, I watch to see she doesn't get sores from the roost bar like they can in this condition. So what I do is tack an old towel to the roost bar to help pad it. Well, I do this anyway in the winter. LOL

Don't you just love your Aussies? I have a flock of them. They are by far my all time favorite breed. :)
 
I do love them. And my little banny roos. They aren't work for me. It's my me time taking care of them. When they thrive I feel such satisfaction.
 

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