molting

[babyrnlc]

I know you are probably sick of molting posts. Sorry, this is my first one

I have a flock of 19 (7 hens and 12- 4 month old chicks) So I am pretty sure they are molting, it looks like a pillow exploded in the coop and run. Howerever the chickens dont look like all the pictures I am seeing of the naked girls. You cant even see a bald spot anywhere. Now they dont look as fluffy, but if you did not know my chickens, you would not know. IS this normal? Will it take longer. We are down to 2 eggs a day out of the 7 girls.

Also can the chicks molt this early? I found a pile of the bo feathers yesterday. I guess I assumed it was just my hens that would be molting. There is a chance they were from my Buff EE, but they looked smaller to me.

I am ready for this to be done and start getting eggs again. I may have to buy some.

Edited to add: Can molting change the color of the feathers? I have a blue EE, that has a more brownish look to her feathers now. It is strange

 

[Happy Chooks]

There's definitely a range of molting. Some hens go bare, some lose patches, some lose everything from their belly and some all you notice is a few tail feathers missing. Chicks don't go through a molt until around 12-13 weeks when they get their adult feathers in. You will see feathers around the coop/yard, but they will not look bare.

Increase their protein and it will help them through the molt quicker. Also when you aren't getting any eggs from them molting, it's a good time to de-worm your flock.