Moulting Brahma Question

[SussexInSeattle]

My beautiful Buff Brahma has just started to moult and I mean HEAVY! She has bare patches already and she is my first moulter ever so my question is, should she be locked inside her barn during this time if it is cold and rainy? Could she get chilled without all her feathers? The barn is large, big enough for a car to fit in anyway.

 

[silkiechicken]

Nah, let them do their thing and they'll be fine. Last winter I had birds go into heavy moult and drop 80% of their feather a week before that crazy snow is seattle.

 

[gritsar]

I agree with silkie. My entire flock of brahmas is in molt. They are still out and about every day and we've had 7 straight days of rain.

 

[SussexInSeattle]

Thank you both for your quick replies. Do either of you know how long a moult lasts and if the feathers will ever come back as beautiful as they were before a moult? Does a moult only happen once in the chicken's life?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
No, they molt once a year or so. The time it takes to molt depends on alot of factors, including the fact that each bird is an individual. My Jezebel has been bare for a month now, my Maggie only took three weeks. Yes, they look absolutely beautiful with their new feathers.

 

[SussexInSeattle]

Thanks again! What a relief to read that, my Buff Brahma was about as beautiful as any show chicken I have seen in pictures, I was afraid I may never see her like that again and we only have a picture of her like that in a head shot.