Molting

[MotherOfChickens]

I have 3 Black Australorps that are almost 16 months old. And one appears to be molting. I know this usually occurs in the fall, but is it unusual for it to happen in the summer?

 

[Dr.GarryTTucker]

Hmm I’m interested to know?

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Do you have any pictures?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Do you have any pictures?

She just started. So there really isnt anything to see. She was very broody but came out of it about 5 days ago. She did a light molt like this when she was 9 months old and came out of her first hard broodiness. There are no mites, no lice, no fleas. She is eating, pooping, and otherwise acting normal.

 

[ronott1]

Any time after they are 15 months old or so for the first molt. Chickens do not always molt in the Fall and it is very sad when they molt in the cold of January.

They do seem miserable when they molt

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Any time after they are 15 months old or so for the first molt. Chickens do not always molt in the Fall and it is very sad when they molt in the cold of January.

They do seem miserable when they molt

Thank you!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have one that started molting yesterday. She hadn't laid in about 2 weeks and was getting crankier about being touched the last week or so and not letting others roost too close to her. Now there's gold feathers everywhere, though no obvious bare spots. I think her last molt was similar, lighter but all over.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I have one that started molting yesterday. She hadn't laid in about 2 weeks and was getting crankier about being touched the last week or so and not letting others roost too close to her. Now there's gold feathers everywhere, though no obvious bare spots. I think her last molt was similar, lighter but all over.

So far that is how her's is too. No obvious bare spots but I noticed the past 2 days she seemed grumpy towards the others and now I see lots of feathers. I know they are coming from her because I see shedding feathers poking out of her plumage. She really doesnt want me touching her either but I wanted to look her over good and make sure her feather loss is due to a molt and not any bugs. Which she has none. So I will give her some extra protein and just let her be.

 

[aart]

Molt is usually driven by length of daylight...so any time after solstice it can happen.
But in the past I've had some molt in early August and as late as December/January.
I have recently seen several references here of birds molting now,
which is earlier than I've ever seen.
I have also read about, and had here, birds molting at 8-9 months old in fall/winter.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So far that is how her's is too. No obvious bare spots but I noticed the past 2 days she seemed grumpy towards the others and now I see lots of feathers. I know they are coming from her because I see shedding feathers poking out of her plumage. She really doesnt want me touching her either but I wanted to look her over good and make sure her feather loss is due to a molt and not any bugs. Which she has none. So I will give her some extra protein and just let her be.

Good idea.

Winter is a lousy time for hens in the wild to raise chicks Their feathers wear out and need to be replaced. So instinctively they quit laying in the fall, molt, and get ready to raise chicks the next good weather season. We've changed that a bit with domestication as some don't wait until good weather to start laying again. Artificial lighting can mess that schedule up too. But in general adults will molt when the days get shorter.

However they can molt at other times too. That's usually because of some type of stress, not always easily identified. A couple of times I've had a broody hen molt in August while she was raising her chicks. She had finished the molt and was back to laying before the rest of the flock started molting.