Molting

[JenJudy]

Does anyone know about molting time and their behaviors during this?

 

[chickenlittle21]

Molting is when chickens lose all their feathers and grow in adult ones. It is very stressful to chickens and hens stop laying during this time. It happens to chickens at around 18 months old and lasts for 8 to 12 weeks

 

[rosemarythyme]

Molting is when chickens lose all their feathers and grow in adult ones. It is very stressful to chickens and hens stop laying during this time. It happens to chickens at around 18 months old and lasts for 8 to 12 weeks

Just want to clarify a little more. There's juvenile molts, where chicks are growing in adult feathers, and adult molts which are usually yearly and usually around fall. They may lose a lot of their feathers, or may lose patches of them, or a small even amount (so you can't easily tell who is molting at a glance). Because they may have to regrow a lot of feathers and their skin is sensitive they don't want to be touched and can get a little ornery. Generally they'll stop laying as well.

While molting, increasing protein intake a little may help ease them through growing new feathers.