Molting

[henney]

At what age is it normal to molt? I have two Easter Eggers that are 11 weeks old and three RID. The RIR's aren't loosing feathers. I've been finding feathers on the bottom of the hen house. They free range and eat a balanced diet of grower food, greens, fruit, veg's. Nobody's being picked on. I talked to a friend and she says it's normal to molt this time of year. Has anyone else's pullets started to molt?. I live in Vancouver Wa.

 

[cheeptrick]

My first flock did not molt till mid winter...molting can happen any time of the year. It is customary for them to start molting in the fall...but I have had some chickens who have been molting for 3-4 months. One chicken started dropping feathers last March...bare neck all summer...but just recently started a nice FRESH pin batch all over her body. If your girls are only 11 weeks old...they are still pullets and I would not expect them to molt until next spring possibly next summer.
The dropped feathers mulch very nicely.
You can induce molting by reducing their day light; which will help in egg production later on. They need the break...truly. But since your girls are young and not laying I would not worry about it. My hens are 1 1/2 years old now and I give them their break in fall.

Currently, I have them in dark coop for 14 hours a day and almost every single hen has molted. I will be hooking up the light soon when temps here in NH go down and hopefully I'll get eggs all winter this way. I've got 11 hens...still getting 4 eggs a day and all are definitely molting. We'll see how it picks up when the lights ARE ON.

Just FYI....my hens and roos drop feathers from time to time...no worries unless bare patches (might be pecked on), or blood is sighted. If you see any eating feathers...increase protein with BOSS>

Good luck...

 

[henney]

Thanks for the reply. There is no picking, blood around neck,tail feathers. I thought it might be lack of protein also. What is BOSS?

 

[Reinbeau]

It may be their roosts. Mine fight over the high spot (actually it's all high spot, but then they fight over the position!

) and during the scuffling they lose lots of feathers. A bunch of fuss-budgets!

 

[Nemo]

Quote:
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds.

 

[henney]

I will give her a little BOSS!
Thanks!