Moulting Question

[rebbetzin]

Ok, for about three weeks now, Ophelia, one of my Buff Orpington hens has been moulting. She looks quite horrible, patches of feathers missing and over all just a lack of good feathering. Now yesterday I noticed her comb and wattles are very pale. Is this normal? I have three other hens and none of the others are showing any signs of moulting. Do chickens moult every year?

 

[Imp]

Sometimes they don't molt very heavily. I've never had one of mine look very scraggly. and yes they molt every year sometimes more than once.
Sorry I can't answer the question about the pale comb.

Imp

 

[Imp]

Another thread about the same thing

Imp


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=271256

 

[Ridgerunner]

First, I'll give you a link to a couple of sites about molting. I think they will help you. And, as you can see, it is normally a good thing when a hen looks really rough during a molt. It normally means she is a fast molter which means she is a better layer.

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

As far as the pale comb, when a hen is ready to lay, the comb gets bright red. When she is not ready to lay, the comb gets paler. During the molt, a hen is normally not laying so the comb can get pale. Always keep on the lookout for signs of disease or parasites, but I would not worry too much about it a pale comb during a molt. It should get bright red again when she is ready to lay.

Good luck!!

 

[LynneP]

...and when you are checking Ophelia it wouldn't hurt to give her some cooked egg, yogurt or other protein to help her in her moult...

 

[GrannySue]

One of my Australorps decided to start her moult last night.
While she was sleeping.
The floor of the henhouse looks like a slaughter took place and only the feathers were left!

She doesn't look as bald as the feathers might imply, until you see her beside her hatchmate sister.

 

[rebbetzin]

Quote:
Yes, that is exactly what happened to me... Looked like a chicken had been plucked in the coop and run. But, she didn't look all that horrible unless you saw her next to her, "unmoulting" sister.

 

[CityChook]

Ridgerunner, thanks for the links. Good information there. My lazybone spoiled princesses haven't laid now for months even tho their molt has been over for quite a while. Sigh.