Molting?

[Morgan7782]

I just went out to clean my coop and right under where my Brahma roosts at night there are a BUNCH of her feathers! And she looks a bit less fluffy, although not naked anywhere. She is a bit lathargic, but eating, drinking, pooping and moving with the flock as normal, she just seems a little tired or drained. Are these signs of a molt?? No bugs or mites on her either

 

[PepsNick]

Is she laying? I know that she's not over one year old. She is not molting. Chickens molt at a year old and up. We will need more information to identify the problem. I don't think anything can be said yet...

Oh... what does her poop look like?

 

[Morgan7782]

Her poop looks totally normal, in fact the only way I can tell it's Brahma poop is the size difference.. lol.

She stopped laying about 3-4 weeks ago, and has started losing feathers within the last 4 days or so. No other signs of illness or anything, I have no idea her age, she could be a year but I don't know. She is eating, drinking normally. Just seems tired or drained, paleish comb, and has lost her fluffiness but I held her and she doesn't feel thin in her body. ::shrugs::

 

[PepsNick]

Quote:
I'm thinking that it could be Marek's. Is it cold where you are? In that case, the laying could just be because it's winter in their small coop... do you have pictures?

 

[OregonChickenGal]

Yes, it sounds like she's molting to me. Mine's molting right now. It's hard on them, they'll be back to normal in no time.

 

[Morgan7782]

I sure hope it is not Meraks! She isn't sneezing or having eye problems, and is not acting paralyzed. But I found a lot of her feathers in the coop and she seems a bit off but these are my first chickens I have never gone through a molt.

I hope she is molting. She could very well be 10-11 months old, and nobody else is sick. I have had her for 4-5 months.

 

[PepsNick]

Quote:
Well this is interesting... I'm going to contact someone for you... he knows a lot about this stuff.

 

[Judy]

Could very well be molting; this would be my guess.

http://msucares.com/poultry/management/poultry_feathers.html

This is not an involved article. One thing it does not tell you is that they can go through "mini-molts" as well, lots of them.

 

[PepsNick]

Quote:
True! I forgot about that. I have a friend who has one who goes through three a year. Kalie, I emailed the smart guy for you.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a couple of cochin bantams that are still going through molt, it doesn't seem to be as hard on them as the bigger girls. But It's getting extremely cold here in the next few days, wish they'd hurry up and get all their feathers back.