Molting

[atief1253]

last winter (2013) some hens were six months old and had a very light molt. I thought this would happen all the time but it didn't. This winter they are one and a half years, and some are older. The started to molt in early September 2014 and as of today are STILL not laying eggs or if we get any, it's one or two, out of 13 hens. Hang in there - that is what everyone else is telling me because I'm so impatient for them to start laying again and alot of people like our eggs. I'm hoping they will start being "normal" very soon. Good luck.

 

[marktoo]

Is it normal for a molt to change pecking order? I have 2 Gold & 2 Silver Wyandottes, the 2 gold hold the 2 top slots. The #2 bird is going through a hard mold & has pretty much been ostracized by the group. The former #4 bird is dutifully doling out her daily beatings. Is this a permanent change in the flock's dynamics or will the golden battle her way back up once her molt is complete? Birds molting in the past have not caused such tension but they have not been so drastic.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Is it normal for a molt to change pecking order? I have 2 Gold & 2 Silver Wyandottes, the 2 gold hold the 2 top slots. The #2 bird is going through a hard mold & has pretty much been ostracized by the group. The former #4 bird is dutifully doling out her daily beatings. Is this a permanent change in the flock's dynamics or will the golden battle her way back up once her molt is complete? Birds molting in the past have not caused such tension but they have not been so drastic.

Yes, they tend to want to be left alone while molting. It usually goes back to normal when they have finished molting and feel normal again.

 

[marktoo]

Yes, they tend to want to be left alone while molting. It usually goes back to normal when they have finished molting and feel normal again.

The way the other 3 are picking on her I think she'll be emotionally scarred for life. Gonna be a long hard battle to reclaim her #2 slot!

 

[MusiGal]

Hello everyone! It's been awhile since I've been on...however, I have a question that I know you all will be able to help me with. I have now had 3 of my 10 hens go through a molt. 2 were pretty minor, but one, my Easter Egger, really lost a lot of feathers. They've all gotten their feathers back now, my Barred Rock is even laying again (my Golden Laced Polish hasn't started laying again, but I think that's due to stress...a whole other issue), however, my Easter Egger is not laying again either and she was the last to molt of the three and her feathers came back really dull compared to what they were. Is this normal? Is there something I should be doing or should have done? I'm kind of a "let nature take its course" kind of person...unless it's life threatening. Thanks, in advance, for your advice!

DURING MOLT:







AFTER MOLT:



I don't know, maybe they aren't duller...just different.

 

[MusiGal]

Just a follow-up to my post above.

Cleo laid her first egg after her molt on Sunday...of course, right after that post where I said she wasn't laying. Go figure!

Her feather color still looks dull, but I guess that's just the way it is. Thanks, everyone!

 

[marktoo]

My 4 each laid an egg yesterday for the first time in 4 or 5 months. We had dropped to as low as 6 eggs a week for several weeks between molting & short days. Will a Hen keep the same molting pattern for her entire life or will it change from year to year? None of these 4 girls molted in the same fashion. They'll be 2 years next month. 1 has molted twice..... long slow molts. 1 had a hard molt, that dropped her from # 2 to #4 in the pecking order, from which I don't think she'll ever recover. 1 had a fast easy molt & the last didn't seem to molt at all. Seems the last 2 laid though the molt.

 

[ezicash]

My 3 RIR are 11 months old and stopped laying eggs last week of Feb. This week I have noticed feathers were everywhere. I realized they are molting. Today I added mealworms and catfood with their grain to give them some extra protein while molting. This too is my first year with my beautiful girls, Pearl, Piper and Noodles. (grandson named them (smile)

 

[Happy Chooks]

My 3 RIR are 11 months old and stopped laying eggs last week of Feb. This week I have noticed feathers were everywhere. I realized they are molting. Today I added mealworms and catfood with their grain to give them some extra protein while molting. This too is my first year with my beautiful girls, Pearl, Piper and Noodles. (grandson named them (smile)

Where are you located? It's awfully late to be molting if you are in the US.

 

[ezicash]

We are in IL where it has been anywhere from 16 degrees during the day to -20 at night. No heat lamp, no light, just alot of moving blankets on top covered by tarps. I have a heater for their water and dry food in a hanger plus i give them FF food in the morning mixed with a small can of catfood and mealworms, DE, Kale, azomite. They all look healthy.