Moulting In Spring And No Egg Laying?

[MONTESOLAROCHICKENS]

I am new to the world of chickens but after one year we are in love. Our one year old hen is losing feathers more and more everyday and has stopped laying. Its the beginning of Spring here in Northern Italy...almost everywhere I have read that moulting occurs in the Fall. So I am worried she has mites. She is eating well, social as usual and does not appear ill. Any one else have experience with chickens moulting in spring time?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome tothe forum. Glad you are here.

A chicken can molt any time. The days getting shorter is usually what triggers it in the fall, but stress can cause a chicken to molt at any time. These sites might help. I suspect the first one will confirm to you that it is a molt and nothing to worry about. However, the second one is there for the rare occasion it is something else.

Mississippi State describes molting
http://msucares.com/poultry/management/poultry_feathers.html

Kansas State feather loss
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/library/lvstk2/mf2308.pdf

In case it is mites, this link may help you. Remember to check at night in case it is roost mites. You will not find those on the chicken during the day.

Ohio State – Mites and Lice
http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

Hope this helps. Good luck!!!